MOZOM-analyse
MOZOM analysis: Defense exercises in drought, safety margin or military necessity?
- Source
- MOZOM analyse
- MOZOM headline
- MOZOM analysis: Defense exercises in drought, safety margin or military necessity?
- Original headline
- After wildfires, Defense comes up with extra rules for practicing during drought
- Author
- MOZOM-redactie
- Date
- 30 juni 2026 om 15:15
- Subject
- Defense is tightening the rules for military exercises in the event of a high risk of wildfire following fires on training grounds.
Summary of the original report
NOS reports that Defense will immediately practice differently when the risk of wildfires is high. The tightening follows large wildfires that broke out in April and May during army exercises in the Veluwe and Brabant. According to the report, large areas of nature burned down after ammunition exploded. Defense already had a protocol for increased wildfire risk, but after evaluation it no longer considers it sufficient. In the event of a high risk of wildfire, the blast pit at Artillery Shooting Camp 't Harde may only be used if the fire brigade is ready at a short distance. The site supervisor is also given the authority to postpone or stop exercises. With certain ammunition, firefighting must be available within 25 meters. The rules apply to wildfire risk phase 2: a period in which it has been dry for some time and a fire can develop more quickly and unpredictably.
Striking in this message
Opvallend is dat het nieuws wordt gebracht als aanpassing van regels, terwijl het onderliggende probleem groter is: droogte maakt bestaande routines risicovoller. What seemed like a manageable practice risk yesterday can quickly become an area problem under dry conditions.
Less visible context
What is less visible is that protocols can always lag behind practice. Only when an incident shows where the old margin was too small does it become clear what distance, authority or fire brigade preparedness was lacking. This makes evaluation necessary, but also uncomfortable: the new rule is often proof that the previous rule did not provide enough protection.
Possible message behind the news
A possible message is that preparedness not only means that soldiers can practice, but also that the organization can stop, adapt and wait when the environment becomes too vulnerable.
Neutral conclusion
The neutral conclusion: the tightened rules are neither a luxury nor an attack on military exercises. They show that in a drier Netherlands, Defense must not only train for external threats, but also for the risks that its own exercises on Dutch sites can cause.