Hilfeleistungszone DG is the rescue zone of Belgium's German-speaking Community (East Belgium): nine municipalities from Kelmis and Eupen in the north to Sankt Vith and Burg-Reuland in the south, with 78,604 residents on about 846 km². It is the only German-speaking zone in Belgium. Some 350 responders, mostly volunteer firefighters and paramedics backed by a full-time cadre, work from seven fire stations and three ambulance stations and handle about 1,500 calls a year. The zone borders Germany and Luxembourg. In an emergency, dial 112.
Zone administration (non-emergency)
+32 87 26 06 00- Storm and flood damage (non-urgent): 1722 or 1722.be
- info@hlzdg.be
- Kehrweg 9C, 4700 Eupen, Belgium
- hlzdg.be (German and French)
- Office hours: Not published
Who Provides Fire Protection in Hilfeleistungszone DG
Since 2015, Belgian fire services are organized in rescue zones (Hilfeleistungszonen) run by their member municipalities. Zone DG, formerly "Liège zone 6", is the only one that covers an entire language community. Its nine member municipalities are listed below with their French names:
- North (Eupen district): Eupen, Kelmis (La Calamine), Lontzen and Raeren
- South (Belgian Eifel): Amel (Amblève), Büllingen (Bullange), Burg-Reuland, Bütgenbach (Butgenbach) and Sankt Vith (Saint-Vith)
The two parts do not touch: part of Waimes, in the Warche-Amblève-Lienne zone, lies between them. The zone relies on volunteer firefighters and paramedics (freiwillige Feuerwehrleute und Rettungssanitäter), supported by full-time staff (hauptamtliche Kräfte) who also form the command and administration; no split is published. Dial 112: unlike most Liège zones, Zone DG still runs its own dispatch; a single dispatch for the province's six zones is planned for 2028.
Fire Stations in Hilfeleistungszone DG
| Station | Type | Location | Specialist teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feuerwache Kelmis | Volunteer-based | Altenberger Straße 108, 4720 Kelmis | Not published |
| Feuerwache Lontzen | Volunteer-based | Tivolistraße 5, 4710 Lontzen | Not published |
| Feuerwache Eupen (HQ) | Volunteer-based + full-time cadre | Kehrweg 9C, 4700 Eupen | Aerial ladder |
| Feuerwache Büllingen | Volunteer-based | Malmedyer Straße 5, 4760 Büllingen | Not published |
| Feuerwache Amel | Volunteer-based | Auf dem Kamp 41, 4770 Amel | Not published |
| Feuerwache Sankt Vith | Volunteer-based | Alte Aachener Straße 23–25, 4780 Sankt Vith | Not published |
| Feuerwache Burg-Reuland | Volunteer-based | Peckeneck 49, 4790 Burg-Reuland | Not published |
Stations have no public phone numbers; Eupen, Kelmis and Lontzen form sector North, the other four sector South. Ambulances (Rettungsdienst) are based in Eupen, Kelmis and Sankt Vith. Bütgenbach and Raeren have no fire station of their own. Dial 112 for emergencies.
Estimated Response Time
Seven stations share about 846 km², so the average distance to the nearest station is roughly 6.2 km (3.9 mi). With about 93 residents per km² and crews that are mostly volunteers, who must first reach the station, the zone uses the rural/volunteer column of our baseline table. The towns of Eupen, Kelmis and Sankt Vith are in the inner rows; Raeren, Bütgenbach and remote Eifel villages are farther out.
| Radius | Volunteer stations |
|---|---|
| ≤ 2.4 km | 8–12 min |
| 2.4–4.8 km | 10–14 min |
| 4.8–9.7 km | 12–18 min |
| > 9.7 km | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 12–18 minutes for most addresses, faster in the station towns. The zone publishes no 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, farm building | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Beyond fires, the zone's published tasks are technical rescue at accidents, hazardous-substance removal, floods, storm damage and animal rescue; non-urgent storm and flood requests go through 1722. The zone works with neighboring Belgian zones and across the borders with Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate) and Luxembourg, inside the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion and the Greater Region.
Apparatus & Equipment
No fleet list or vehicle count is published; the zone only says its vehicles and equipment are matched to local needs. Wikipedia FR shows an Iveco aerial ladder at the Eupen station. Ambulances operate from Eupen, Kelmis and Sankt Vith.
- Firefighting
- Ambulance (EMS)
- Technical rescue
- Hazardous substances
- Flood & storm
- Animal rescue
- Wasp nests
Hilfeleistungszone DG in Numbers
- About 1,500 calls per year (zone website; no year-by-year report published online)
- About 350 responders, 7 fire stations and 3 ambulance services
- 9 municipalities, 78,604 residents and 846.144 km²: 7% of Liège Province's population and 21.95% of its area
Services & Community Programs
- Volunteer recruitment ("Mach mit!"): firefighters need the federal competence certificate from a civil-security training center; ambulance posts are advertised under "Stellenangebote". Contact info@hlzdg.be or +32 87 26 06 00.
- Wasp nests and Asian hornets: the zone removes wasp nests for a fee set in its yearly tariff and runs a trap-sponsor program (Fallen-Pate) against the Asian hornet.
- Patient transport and ambulance service (Rettungsdienst) from three stations.
Ratings & Accreditation
Belgium has no public fire-protection rating comparable to the US ISO classification. Not applicable.
Outdoor burning: in Wallonia, burning waste in the open air is banned. The exception is dry natural plant waste, under article 89 of the Rural Code: at least 100 m from homes, hedges, orchards and fields and 25 m from woods and forests, never in strong wind, and with water at hand. Damp material and fresh grass clippings may not be burned. Municipalities can set hours or ban all fires in dry spells. Ask your Gemeinde before lighting any outdoor fire.
Neighboring Rescue Zones
- Zone de secours Vesdre-Hoëgne & Plateau, Liège Province (west of the northern part)
- Zone de secours Warche-Amblève-Lienne, Liège Province (west: Waimes, Malmedy)
- Zone de secours Luxembourg, Luxembourg Province (southwest)
- Germany: North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate (east)
- Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (south)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire service in Eupen or Sankt Vith?
The zone's central number is +32 87 26 06 00 (Kehrweg 9C, Eupen). For storm or flood damage that is not life-threatening, call 1722. For any fire or medical emergency, dial 112.
Which municipalities does Hilfeleistungszone DG cover?
The nine German-speaking municipalities: Eupen, Kelmis, Lontzen, Raeren, Amel, Büllingen, Bütgenbach, Burg-Reuland and Sankt Vith.
Are the firefighters in East Belgium paid?
Most are volunteers, backed by a full-time cadre that also leads the zone. The zone says it relies on volunteer firefighters and paramedics and recruits through its Mach mit! page.
How fast does the fire service respond?
The zone publishes no arrival times. Our estimate is about 12–18 minutes for most addresses, faster near the seven stations.
Can I burn garden waste in East Belgium?
Only dry plant waste, at least 100 m from homes and 25 m from woods, under the Walloon rules and any municipal limits. Burning other waste outdoors is banned.
Last verified:
- FPS Home Affairs — Rescue zone contacts (members, HQ, phone, email)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Home (calls, responders, stations, 1722, wasps)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Über uns (population, area, volunteers, neighbors, cross-border)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Feuerwachen (station addresses, sectors)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Rettungswachen (ambulance stations)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Feuerwehr (tasks, tariffs)
- Hilfeleistungszone DG — Mach mit! (recruitment)
- RTBF — Single 112 dispatch for Liège Province (2025)
- Wikipedia FR — Zone de secours DG (stations, split territory, aerial ladder)
- RTBF — Garden fires: rules and distances in Wallonia (2026)