Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland is the fire and ambulance service for five municipalities in the north-west of East Flanders: Aalter, Eeklo, Kaprijke, Maldegem and Sint-Laureins, home to about 90,600 people on 354 km² of polders, farmland and woods. It runs four posts, in Aalter, Eeklo, Kaprijke and Maldegem. Of its 252 staff, 228 are volunteers, 14 are career firefighters and 10 work in administration. In 2025 the zone handled 11,125 calls: 345 fires, 2,697 other incidents and 8,083 ambulance calls. In an emergency, dial 112.
Zone administration (non-emergency)
+32 9 391 10 20- communicatie@zonemeetjesland.be
- Fire prevention advice: preventie@zonemeetjesland.be
- Post Eeklo, Gentsesteenweg 2, 9900 Eeklo, Belgium
- zonemeetjesland.be
- Office hours: weekdays, during office hours (times not published)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland
Since 2015, Belgian fire services are organized in rescue zones (hulpverleningszones) run by their member municipalities. Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland covers five:
- Aalter — including Knesselare, which merged into Aalter in 2019.
- Eeklo, the zone's seat.
- Kaprijke, Maldegem and Sint-Laureins. Sint-Laureins has no post of its own and is served from the neighboring posts.
The zone has been smaller since the 2019 mergers: Nevele went to Deinze, and Waarschoot and Zomergem became part of Lievegem; both are now served by Brandweerzone Centrum. The federal list of rescue zones (April 2026) names the five municipalities above.
Volunteers (vrijwilligers) are the backbone of the zone: 228 of its 252 staff. They are supported by 14 career firefighters (beroepsbrandweer) and 10 administrative staff. The zone also runs ambulances from Aalter, Eeklo and Maldegem. Dial 112 for any emergency.
Fire Posts in Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland
| Post | Type | Location | Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Aalter | Volunteer | Sint-Gerolflaan 12b, 9880 Aalter | Fire, ambulance |
| Post Maldegem | Volunteer | Bloemendaelelaan 4, 9990 Maldegem | Fire, ambulance |
| Post Eeklo (HQ) | Volunteer | Gentsesteenweg 2, 9900 Eeklo | Fire, ambulance, zone administration |
| Post Kaprijke | Volunteer | Molenstraat 28A, 9970 Kaprijke (new station, 2021) | Fire |
Posts have no public phone numbers. The zone recruits volunteer firefighters for all four posts; public sources do not say where the 14 career firefighters are based. Dial 112 for emergencies.
Estimated Response Time
Four posts share about 354 km², so the average distance to the nearest post is roughly 5.3 km (3.3 mi). With about 256 residents per km² and a mostly volunteer service, we use the suburban/combination column of our baseline table next to the volunteer column, because volunteers must first reach the post. Sint-Laureins, with no post, and the polders along the Dutch border are farthest from a station.
| Radius | Combination (zone) | Volunteer crews |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 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 in and near Aalter, Eeklo, Kaprijke and Maldegem, and 12–18 minutes in outlying villages and the polders of Sint-Laureins. The zone does not publish an average arrival time.
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 Meetjesland is rural: polders and creeks in the north, farms and woods in the south. The Drongengoed in Aalter is the largest continuous forest in East Flanders, so dry summers bring a woodland-fire risk. Barn and farm fires can take hours, and the zone keeps five water tankers for areas with few hydrants. The Ghent–Bruges Canal, the Schipdonk Canal and the Leopold Canal cross the zone, and storms and flooding are a regular part of the workload.
Apparatus & Equipment
The zone's 2025 key figures list:
- Fire engine (autopomp)
- 7
- Aerial ladder or platform (ladderwagen / elevator)
- 4
- Water tanker (tankwagen)
- 5
- Ambulance (ziekenwagen)
- 6
Other vehicles, such as command cars and rescue or logistics vehicles, are not listed.
- Structural firefighting
- Woodland & field fires
- Water supply (tankers)
- Technical rescue
- Storm & flood response
- Ambulance (EMS)
Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland in Numbers (2025)
- 11,125 calls, about 30 per day
- 345 fires and 2,697 other incidents, such as storm damage, flooding and animal rescues
- 8,083 ambulance calls, nearly three in four of all calls
- 252 staff: 228 volunteers, 14 career firefighters, 10 administrative staff
Services & Community Programs
- Volunteer firefighter recruitment for all four posts, with information evenings at Post Maldegem: see zonemeetjesland.be/jobs.
- Youth fire brigade (jeugdbrandweer).
- Fire prevention advice for building projects: preventie@zonemeetjesland.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 fire-brigade training, campfires with dry untreated wood, farm or landscape plant waste that cannot be removed, and plant-health reasons. A drought ban or local police rules can restrict even these. Take garden waste to a recyclagepark and ask your municipality before lighting any outdoor fire.
Neighboring Rescue Zones
- Brandweerzone Centrum, East Flanders (east and south: Assenede, Lievegem, Deinze)
- Hulpverleningszone 1, West Flanders (west: Damme, Beernem)
- Zone Midwest, West Flanders (south-west: Wingene)
- Netherlands (north: Zeelandic Flanders)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire service in the Meetjesland?
The zone administration in Eeklo answers +32 9 391 10 20 on weekdays during office hours. For any fire or medical emergency, dial 112.
Which municipalities does Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland cover?
Aalter, Eeklo, Kaprijke, Maldegem and Sint-Laureins. Sint-Laureins has no post of its own and is served from the neighboring posts.
Are the Meetjesland's firefighters paid?
Mostly not: 228 of the zone's 252 staff are volunteers. Fourteen career firefighters and 10 administrative staff support them.
How fast does the fire service respond in the Meetjesland?
The zone does not publish an average. Our estimate is about 10–14 minutes near the four posts and 12–18 minutes in outlying villages and polders.
Can I burn garden waste in the Meetjesland?
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)
- Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland — Fire posts (addresses)
- Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland — Zone administration (phone, e-mail, hours)
- Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland — HVZ Meetjesland 2025 (May 1, 2026) (calls, staff)
- Netwerk Brandweer / VVSG — Meetjesland key figures 2025 (vehicles, staff, calls)
- Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland — About us (posts, ambulance service)
- VMM — FAQ on outdoor burning
- Wikipedia NL — Hulpverleningszone Meetjesland (population 2024, area, 2019 mergers, neighbors)
- Wikipedia NL — Meetjesland (landscape, forest, canals)
