THE HAGUE, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- A wildfire broke out on Monday in a nature reserve in the municipality of Venray, in the southern Dutch province of Limburg, local safety authority has reported.
The blaze, described by the North Limburg Safety Region as "very large," has spread across an area of undetermined size.
"Due to the dry conditions, fire can spread rapidly in nature reserves," a spokesperson for the North Limburg Safety Region said.
According to the spokesperson, the fire department has deployed a large number of firefighters and vehicles to battle the blaze. Given the scale of the fire and the expected duration of the operation, additional firefighting units have been mobilized, with crew operating in rotating fire platoons. Firefighters expect the operation to continue for a considerable time.
Emergency services remain fully engaged in containing the fire. Authorities have not reported any injuries or damage.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown. ■