Brandweerzone Oost is the rescue zone for the Dendermonde–Lokeren region in eastern East Flanders: eight municipalities, about 207,000 residents and 348 km² along the Scheldt, Dender and Durme rivers. It relies on volunteers: some 382 volunteer firefighters work from nine posts, supported by about 25 permanent staff, and they handled about 4,000 interventions in 2024. A plan for 2026–2031 replaces 26 older vehicles. In an emergency, dial 112.
Zone headquarters (non-emergency)
+32 52 25 07 80- Administration: +32 52 25 07 82, administratie@zoneoost.be
- secretariaat@zoneoost.be
- Oude Vest 150, 9200 Dendermonde, Belgium
- oost.brandweerzone.be
- Phone hours: Mon–Thu 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00, Fri 9:00–12:00
Who Provides Fire Protection in Brandweerzone Oost
Since 2015, Belgian fire services are organized in rescue zones (hulpverleningszones) run by their member municipalities. Brandweerzone Oost covers eight:
- Dendermonde — the main post and zone headquarters
- Lokeren — since January 1, 2025 including Moerbeke, which brought its own post into the zone
- Berlare, Buggenhout, Hamme, Lebbeke, Wichelen and Zele
Two changes took effect on January 1, 2025: Moerbeke merged into Lokeren and moved over from Brandweerzone Centrum, and Wichelen joined from Hulpverleningszone Zuid-Oost. The zone grew to nine posts.
The zone works mainly with volunteer firefighters (vrijwilligers), who must first reach their post after the alarm; about 25 permanent staff run administration, prevention and support. The zone's own site gives "more than 350 firefighters"; a November 2025 report counts 382 volunteers.
Fire Posts in Brandweerzone Oost
| Post | Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Moerbeke | Volunteer | Korte Damstraat 17, 9180 Moerbeke (Lokeren) | Joined 2025 |
| Post Lokeren | Volunteer | Haarsnijderslaan 12, 9160 Lokeren | New post, 2024 |
| Post Hamme | Volunteer | Kazernestraat 2, 9220 Hamme | |
| Post Zele | Volunteer | Dendermondebaan 43, 9240 Zele | New post, 2025 |
| Post Berlare | Volunteer | Dorp 101C, 9290 Berlare | Behind CC Stroming |
| Post Dendermonde (HQ) | Volunteer | Oude Vest 150, 9200 Dendermonde | Main post, new building 2023 |
| Post Buggenhout | Volunteer | Kerkhofstraat 28, 9255 Buggenhout | New post, 2022 |
| Post Wichelen | Volunteer | Margote 116, 9260 Wichelen | New post planned |
| Post Lebbeke | Volunteer | Flor Hofmanslaan 1, 9280 Lebbeke |
Posts have no public phone numbers; use the zone's general number. Dial 112 for emergencies.
Estimated Response Time
Nine posts share about 348 km², so the average distance to the nearest post is roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi). With about 600 residents per km² the area is suburban, but every crew is volunteer and must first reach its post after the alarm. We therefore use the volunteer column of our baseline table, with the combination column as the best case when volunteers are already at or near the post.
| Radius | Best case | Volunteer posts |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 2.4 km | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 2.4–4.8 km | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 4.8–9.7 km | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 9.7 km | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 10–14 minutes for most addresses, shorter in the town centers next to a post. Polders along the Scheldt and Durme are farther from the posts. 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 zone is a mix of historic town centers, industrial estates and open polder land along the Scheldt, Dender and Durme. Rural fires depend on tanker trucks for water, and with two aerial ladders in the fleet plan, major incidents draw crews from several posts. The zone notes that heavy batteries and electric vehicles make fire interventions more complex.
Apparatus & Equipment
No full fleet count is published. The 2026–2031 multi-year plan (about €18 million) replaces 26 older vehicles, including:
- Aerial ladder trucks
- 2
- Tanker trucks
- 4
- Mobile command post
- 1
- Hook-lift (container) vehicle
- 1
The plan also covers several pumpers (autopompen) and command cars; their numbers are not published.
Brandweerzone Oost in Numbers
- About 4,000 interventions in 2024 (VRT, November 2025)
- 382 volunteers and about 25 permanent staff
- Municipal funding to rise from €25 to €51 per resident by 2031
Services & Community Programs
- Volunteer recruitment (brandweervrijwilliger): vacancies on oost.brandweerzone.be, per post.
- Fire prevention: +32 52 25 07 87, preventie@zoneoost.be; home safety advice via bpa@zoneoost.be.
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 Waasland, East Flanders (north and northwest)
- Brandweerzone Centrum, East Flanders (west)
- Hulpverleningszone Zuid-Oost, East Flanders (south)
- Brandweerzone Vlaams-Brabant West, Flemish Brabant (southeast)
- Brandweerzone Rivierenland, Antwerp Province (northeast, across the Scheldt)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire service in Dendermonde?
Brandweerzone Oost's reception is +32 52 25 07 80 (Oude Vest 150, Dendermonde), weekdays during office hours. For any fire or medical emergency, dial 112.
Which municipalities does Brandweerzone Oost cover?
Berlare, Buggenhout, Dendermonde, Hamme, Lebbeke, Lokeren (including Moerbeke since 2025), Wichelen and Zele.
Are the firefighters in Brandweerzone Oost paid?
The crews are volunteers: 382 volunteer firefighters across nine posts, supported by about 25 permanent staff.
How fast does the fire service respond around Dendermonde and Lokeren?
The zone does not publish arrival times. Our estimate is about 10–14 minutes for most addresses, because volunteers first travel to their post.
Can I burn garden waste in Dendermonde or Lokeren?
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 Oost — About the zone (350+ firefighters, 207,000 residents, 348 km²)
- Brandweerzone Oost — Posts (nine post pages with addresses)
- Brandweerzone Oost — Contact details (phones, hours)
- VMM — FAQ on outdoor burning
- VRT NWS — Zone Oost multi-year plan (November 2025) (volunteers, staff, interventions, fleet)
- Wikipedia NL — Hulpverleningszone Oost (population citing Statbel, post history, 2025 changes, neighbors)