Gefahr bei Moorbränden: Warum Brände im ausgetrockneten Moor schwer bekämpfbar sind

Moor fires, such as those in Belgian nature reserve Hohes Venn, pose dangerous challenges due to several factors. Belgian fire brigade commander Luc Burette expressed this concern on Dutch television, stating that the ground is made of peat with grass on top, allowing the fire to spread rapidly. Additionally, the fires can persist for a long time, warned a Monschauer fire brigade speaker.

The Thünen Institute's Tanja Sanders explained that moors burn differently than vegetation, as the fire often spreads invisibly underground, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the fire source. In contrast to vegetation fires, moor fires are mostly underground and can travel several meters beneath the surface before re-emerging.

Fire ecologist Tobias Ceulemans from the University of Antwerp pointed out that Hoge Venn, despite being a peatland, has been drained for decades to grow pine forests, making it particularly susceptible to fires. When the peat is dry, fires can consume the earth and develop into smoldering underground fires, which are difficult to detect and contain.

Sanders emphasized that fighting moor fires requires extensive water application to reach the smoldering section beneath the surface, resulting in significant smoke production containing carbon monoxide.