Belgium battles record-breaking wildfire in High Fens

A massive wildfire in the High Fens nature reserve in eastern Belgium has become the largest on record, surpassing the previous 2011 record of 1,400 hectares. Ignited on Friday, August 14, the blaze grew from 60 hectares to approximately 3,000 hectares by Sunday, August 16. The incident occurred during the country's fifth heatwave of the summer, with extreme conditions facilitating the rapid spread through peatlands and pine forests.

Over 250 emergency personnel, including local firefighters, army units, federal police, and volunteers from Germany and Luxembourg, have been deployed. The European Union provided additional support through the deployment of three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft from the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Approximately 600 residents were evacuated from areas including Waimes, Sourbrodt, and Buetgenbach, while precautionary evacuations were also implemented in the German border town of Monschau due to smoke and proximity concerns.

While authorities remain optimistic that cooler, more humid weather will assist suppression efforts, significant hotspots remain active. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has expressed support for the affected, and monitoring of the German border region continues. No injuries have been reported, but evacuated residents have not yet been cleared to return home.