Brandweerzone Centrum is the rescue zone for Ghent and 15 surrounding municipalities in East Flanders, about 609,000 residents on 958 km², including the Port of Ghent along the Ghent–Terneuzen canal. Its 867 firefighters, 480 career and 387 volunteer, work from 14 posts. Four posts in and around Ghent have career crews around the clock; the others are volunteer posts. The zone also runs ambulances and reports 15,157 interventions in its latest year. In an emergency, dial 112.
Zone headquarters (non-emergency)
+32 9 268 88 99- info@bwzc.be
- Post Gent, Roggestraat 70, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- brandweerzonecentrum.be
- Office hours: Not published
Who Provides Fire Protection in Brandweerzone Centrum
Since 2015, Belgian fire services are organized in rescue zones (hulpverleningszones) run by their member municipalities. Brandweerzone Centrum covers 16 in central East Flanders:
- Ghent area: Gent, Destelbergen, Evergem, Lochristi, Laarne, Merelbeke-Melle, Nazareth-De Pinte, Sint-Martens-Latem
- North, toward the Netherlands: Assenede, Zelzate, Lievegem
- South and west: Deinze, Zulte, Gavere, Oosterzele, Wetteren
On January 1, 2025, several members merged: Lochristi with Wachtebeke, Merelbeke with Melle and Nazareth with De Pinte. Moerbeke merged into Lokeren and left for Brandweerzone Oost, while Laarne and Wetteren joined from Hulpverleningszone Zuid-Oost.
The zone has 480 career firefighters (beroeps) and 387 volunteers (vrijwilligers). Career crews work 12-hour shifts in four teams at Gent, Expo, Elslo and Melle; Deinze also has career staff by day. Volunteers must live within 6 minutes of their post.
Fire Posts in Brandweerzone Centrum
| Post | Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Assenede | Volunteer | Molenstraat 54A, 9960 Assenede | |
| Post Zelzate | Volunteer | Burg. J. Chalmetlaan 56, 9060 Zelzate | |
| Post Elslo (Evergem) | Career | Elslo 183, 9940 Evergem | Temporary; replaced Wondelgem |
| Post Waarschoot | Volunteer | Brandweerplein, 9950 Lievegem | |
| Post Zomergem | Volunteer | Bevrijdingstraat 46, 9930 Lievegem | |
| Post Lochristi | Volunteer | Koning-Boudewijnlaan 7, 9080 Lochristi | |
| Post Gent (HQ) | Career | Roggestraat 70, 9000 Gent | Reception |
| Post Expo | Career | Kortrijksesteenweg 1102, 9051 Gent | Opened 2014 near the E40, E17 and R4 |
| Post Nevele | Volunteer | Brandweerstraat 1, 9850 Deinze | |
| Post Deinze | Volunteer + day career | Stadionlaan 24, 9800 Deinze | |
| Post Wetteren | Volunteer | Zuiderdijk 1, 9230 Wetteren | Joined 2025 |
| Post Melle | Career | Brusselsesteenweg 148, 9090 Melle | RED-team (rope rescue) |
| Post Merelbeke | Volunteer | Brandweerstraat 28, 9820 Merelbeke | |
| Post Gavere | Volunteer | Brandweerstraat 3, 9890 Gavere |
Posts have no public phone numbers; use the Gent reception. Dial 112 for emergencies.
Estimated Response Time
Fourteen posts share about 958 km², so the average distance to the nearest post is roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi). With about 640 residents per km² the zone is suburban overall, but dense Ghent has career crews while outer villages rely on volunteers who must first reach their post. We use the career and volunteer columns of our baseline table.
| Radius | Career posts | Volunteer posts |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 2.4 km | 4–6 min | 8–12 min |
| 2.4–4.8 km | 6–8 min | 10–14 min |
| 4.8–9.7 km | 8–11 min | 12–18 min |
| > 9.7 km | 11+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 6–8 minutes in Ghent and near the career posts, about 10–14 minutes in volunteer-served villages. The zone does not publish measured arrival 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 |
The Port of Ghent stretches 32 km along the Ghent–Terneuzen canal through Gent, Evergem and Zelzate and covers 4,648 ha. It hosts ArcelorMittal Gent, one of Europe's largest integrated steel plants, and Volvo's car and truck plants. Industrial fires there can take many hours and call in the zone's industry and hazmat team (Industrie en Gevaarlijke Stoffen, IGS) and its foam and water-transport units. Ghent's historic center and the E40, E17 and R4 add their own risks.
Apparatus & Equipment
No fleet list or vehicle count is published. The zone's site mentions heavy-rescue trucks at several posts, large water-transport pumps and monitors spread across the posts, and foam for large fires.
- Hazmat (IGS)
- Foam
- Dive rescue
- Rope rescue
- Heavy rescue
- Casualty extraction
- Search dogs
- Ambulance
Brandweerzone Centrum in Numbers
- 15,157 interventions in the latest year on the zone's site (year not given)
- About 1,000 staff, including ambulance crews
Services & Community Programs
- Volunteer recruitment: each post page on brandweerzonecentrum.be explains how to apply.
- Fire Stress Team: peer support after difficult calls.
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 campfires with dry untreated wood and folklore fires with written municipal permission; drought bans can restrict even these. Compost garden waste or take it to a recyclagepark, and ask your municipality before lighting any outdoor fire.
Neighboring Rescue Zones
- Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland, East Flanders (northwest: Eeklo, Kaprijke, Aalter)
- Brandweerzone Oost, East Flanders (east: Lokeren, Berlare, Wichelen)
- Hulpverleningszone Zuid-Oost, East Flanders (southeast: Lede, Erpe-Mere)
- Brandweerzone Vlaamse Ardennen, East Flanders (south: Kruisem, Zwalm, Sint-Lievens-Houtem)
- Hulpverleningszone Fluvia and Brandweerzone Midwest, West Flanders (southwest and west)
- Netherlands (north: Terneuzen)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire service in Ghent?
Brandweerzone Centrum's reception is +32 9 268 88 99 (Roggestraat 70, Gent). For any fire or medical emergency, dial 112.
Which municipalities does Brandweerzone Centrum cover?
Sixteen: Gent and 15 neighbors, from Assenede and Zelzate in the north to Deinze, Gavere and Wetteren in the south.
Are the firefighters around Ghent paid?
Both: 480 career firefighters staff four posts around the clock, and 387 volunteers run the others.
How fast does the fire service respond around Ghent?
Not published. We estimate 6–8 minutes near career posts and 10–14 minutes in volunteer-served villages.
Can I burn garden waste in Ghent or nearby towns?
No. Flemish rules ban burning garden waste in the open air, with narrow exceptions. Compost it or use a recycling park, and ask your municipality before any outdoor fire.
Last verified:
- FPS Home Affairs — Rescue zone contacts (April 2026) (members, HQ, phone)
- Brandweerzone Centrum — Home (14 posts, 16 municipalities, contact)
- Brandweerzone Centrum — Team Brandweer (personnel, shifts, career posts, interventions)
- Brandweerzone Centrum — Posts (addresses and history per post)
- Brandweerzone Centrum — Specialist teams
- Brandweerzone Centrum — Hazardous materials
- VMM — FAQ on outdoor burning
- Wikipedia NL — Brandweerzone Centrum (population and area citing Statbel, 2025 changes)
- Wikipedia NL — Haven van Gent (port size and industries)