Luxembourg is making thorough preparations to tackle forest fires

Luxembourg’s forestry experts maintain that the risk of large-scale forest fires in the country is significantly lower than in Southern Europe. Of the more than 92,000 hectares of woodland, which covers around a third of the country’s area, half is privately owned. The predominance of deciduous species over conifers, as well as the presence of open spaces between forest areas, create natural barriers to the spread of fire. Nevertheless, the CGDIS fire and rescue service maintains a high level of readiness.

Coniferous stands, weakened by water shortages and infested with bark beetles, are the most vulnerable. Withered needles and dry spruce wood catch fire easily. By law, such trees must be felled to control pest populations and reduce the risk of fire; however, the Nature and Forestry Agency (ANF) is seeking to preserve some of the deadwood to support biodiversity and natural forest regeneration. The difficulty of extinguishing fires in such areas was highlighted by a recent incident near the municipality of Consdorf, where a fire in a field spread to a wooded area, requiring the deployment of 75 firefighters.

To respond to such emergencies, the rescue service has a specialised fleet of vehicles at its disposal. According to Paul Schroeder, Director-General of the CGDIS, 25 of the country’s approximately 100 rescue centres are equipped with off-road vehicles fitted with special tyres and water tanks with a capacity of up to 10,000 litres. In particular, the fire station in Lintgen has three such vehicles. Experts note that the condition of Luxembourg’s forest clearings does not require the creation of additional firebreaks; however, the entire responsibility for maintaining the safety of these areas lies with private forest owners.