Brandweer Fluvia is the rescue zone for 14 municipalities around Kortrijk in southern West Flanders, on the French border: about 322,000 residents on 449 km². Its 664 volunteer and 68 career firefighters work from 14 posts; the career crews are based in Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem. In 2024 the zone handled 4,123 fire-service calls, including 1,088 fires and 255 hazardous-materials incidents, and its ambulances make almost 20,000 runs a year. In an emergency, dial 112.
Zone headquarters (non-emergency)
+32 56 23 99 70- Fire prevention: +32 56 23 99 40
- info@brandweerfluvia.be
- Doorniksesteenweg 214A, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
- brandweerfluvia.be
- Phone lines: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Who Provides Fire Protection in Brandweer Fluvia
Since 2015, Belgian fire services are organized in rescue zones (hulpverleningszones) run by their member municipalities. Brandweer Fluvia, known until 2025 as Hulpverleningszone Fluvia (West Flanders zone 3), covers 14:
- Kortrijk area: Kortrijk, Kuurne, Harelbeke, Lendelede, Ledegem, Wevelgem and Menen
- Leie and Scheldt valleys: Waregem, Wielsbeke, Deerlijk, Zwevegem, Anzegem, Avelgem and Spiere-Helkijn
The zone has 771 staff. Its 664 volunteers (vrijwilligers) are paged from home or work; 68 career firefighters (beroepsbrandweer) are stationed in Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem. Fluvia also runs most 112 ambulances in the area and, with hospital nurses, PIT paramedic units. The zone has merged several old posts: Belgiek replaced Deerlijk and Anzegem (2020), Bramier replaced Lauwe and Marke, and the new Waregem post replaced Waregem and Beveren-Leie (2023).
Fire Posts in Brandweer Fluvia
| Post | Municipality | Crew | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Avelgem | Avelgem | Volunteer | Southernmost post |
| Post Belgiek | Deerlijk | Volunteer | Opened 2020 |
| Post Bramier | Menen | Volunteer | Opened 2023 |
| Post Gullegem | Wevelgem | Volunteer | — |
| Post Harelbeke | Harelbeke | Volunteer | 24/7 volunteer ambulance |
| Post Heule | Kortrijk | Volunteer | — |
| Post Kortrijk (main post) | Kortrijk | Career + volunteer | Ambulance, support staff |
| Post Kuurne | Kuurne | Volunteer | — |
| Post Ledegem | Ledegem | Volunteer | — |
| Post Lendelede | Lendelede | Volunteer | — |
| Post Menen | Menen | Career + volunteer | 24/7 ambulance |
| Post Waregem | Waregem | Career + volunteer | Opened 2023 |
| Post Wevelgem | Wevelgem | Volunteer | Recruit training |
| Post Zwevegem | Zwevegem | Volunteer | — |
The zone publishes no street addresses or phone numbers for its posts; use the zone number above. Dial 112 for emergencies.
Estimated Response Time
Fourteen posts share 449 km², so the average distance to the nearest post is roughly 3.2 km (2.0 mi). With about 720 residents per km² and mostly volunteer crews, the zone fits the suburban/combination column of our baseline table. Career crews in Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem can leave faster; volunteers must first reach their post.
| Radius | Combination posts |
|---|---|
| ≤ 2.4 km | 5–8 min |
| 2.4–4.8 km | 7–10 min |
| 4.8–9.7 km | 9–13 min |
| > 9.7 km | 13+ min |
Typical expectation: about 7–10 minutes for most addresses; often less in central Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem, longer in rural Anzegem, Avelgem and Spiere-Helkijn. The zone publishes no measured response times.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Grass patch, dumpster, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, commercial unit | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Kortrijk and its neighbors are heavily industrial, with business parks along the Leie and near the E17 and E403 motorways. Factory and warehouse fires there can take many hours. The Leie and the Scheldt (Avelgem, Spiere-Helkijn) bring water-rescue calls for the zone's dive team, and the 255 hazardous-materials calls of 2024 went to its IGS hazmat advisers and teams.
Apparatus & Equipment
No fleet list or vehicle count is published. Specialist teams:
- Dive team (duikteam): rescue on and in the water
- Climbing team (RISC): rescue at height or in depth
- Hazmat (IGS): chemical, biological and radiological incidents
- Hazmat
- Dive rescue
- Water rescue
- Rope rescue (RISC)
- Technical rescue
- Ambulance & PIT
Brandweer Fluvia in Numbers (2024)
- 4,123 fire-service calls, about 11 per day
- 1,088 fires, 1,636 technical-rescue calls and 255 hazardous-materials calls
- More than 1,100 logistics and wasp-nest calls
- Almost 20,000 ambulance runs a year
Services & Community Programs
- Volunteer recruitment: kombijdebrandweer.be
- Youth fire brigade (jeugdbrandweer) and fire-safety advice for events
- Digital counter (loket) for requests, plus storm and water-damage advice on the website
Ratings & Accreditation
Belgium has no public fire-protection rating comparable to the US ISO classification. Not applicable.
Outdoor burning: Flemish environmental rules ban burning any waste in the open air, garden waste included. The Flemish Environment Agency lists only narrow exceptions, such as fire-brigade training, farm or landscape plant waste that cannot be processed on site, plant-health reasons and campfires. Police rules or a drought ban can restrict even these. Take garden waste to a recyclagepark and ask your municipality before lighting any outdoor fire.
Neighboring Rescue Zones
- Zone Midwest, West Flanders (north: Roeselare, Izegem, Oostrozebeke, Dentergem)
- Brandweerzone Centrum, East Flanders (northeast: Zulte)
- Brandweerzone Vlaamse Ardennen, East Flanders (east: Kruisem, Wortegem-Petegem, Kluisbergen)
- Zone de secours Wallonie Picarde, Hainaut (south: Mouscron, Estaimpuis, Mont-de-l'Enclus)
- Brandweer Westhoek, West Flanders (west: Wervik, Zonnebeke)
- France (southwest: Halluin)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire service in Kortrijk?
Brandweer Fluvia's general number is +32 56 23 99 70 (8 a.m.–12 p.m.); fire prevention is +32 56 23 99 40. For any fire or medical emergency, dial 112.
Which municipalities does Brandweer Fluvia cover?
Anzegem, Avelgem, Deerlijk, Harelbeke, Kortrijk, Kuurne, Ledegem, Lendelede, Menen, Spiere-Helkijn, Waregem, Wevelgem, Wielsbeke and Zwevegem.
Is Brandweer Fluvia the same as Fluvius?
No. Brandweer Fluvia is the fire and rescue zone; Fluvius is the Flemish grid operator. The zone adopted the name Brandweer Fluvia in 2025 partly to avoid this confusion.
Are Fluvia's firefighters volunteers?
Mostly: 664 volunteers and 68 career firefighters, the latter based in Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem.
Can I burn garden waste in Kortrijk or Waregem?
No. Flemish rules ban burning garden waste in the open air, with narrow exceptions. Use a recycling park and ask your municipality before any outdoor fire.
Last verified:
- FPS Home Affairs — Rescue zone contacts (April 17, 2026) (members, HQ, phone)
- Brandweer Fluvia — Posts (14 posts, crews, ambulances)
- Brandweer Fluvia — Fire service team (personnel, 2024 calls, special teams)
- Brandweer Fluvia — Team (771 staff, 320,000+ residents)
- Brandweer Fluvia — Ambulance
- Brandweer Fluvia — About us (contacts, phone hours)
- VMM — FAQ on outdoor burning
- Wikipedia NL — Brandweer Fluvia (area and 2024 population from Statbel, post history, name change)