Volunteers are working to ensure firefighters receive a steady supply of food, drinks, and water, while others provide direct support at the scene. Marcel Defrenne from the Belgian Red Cross has been on the move almost continuously since Saturday evening, delivering coffee, water, energy drinks, sandwiches, and pastries to various checkpoints in his own vehicle.
Defrenne says he has lost track of how much food and drink they have distributed so far. "Demand is high. We are constantly bringing coffee, food, and drinks to the firefighters, who have been on duty for hours", he explains.
Many local farmers have also offered their help, including Alain Feyen, who has been assisting with his tractor since Saturday evening.
Feyen drives along the fire front with a tank containing 11,000 litres of water, soaking threatened areas to prevent the fire from spreading. For him, lending a hand was the right thing to do. "I was asked if I could help, so I set off straight away to prevent the fire from moving towards local villages", he says.
The length of time volunteers will remain involved depends on how the fire develops. The frequently changing wind makes conditions unpredictable and demands a high degree of flexibility from everyone on site.
