Belgium’s biggest wildfire on record continued to spread towards the German border on Sunday, after burning around 3,000 hectares of land in the country’s eastern High Fens nature reserve
Belgium’s biggest wildfire on record continued to spread towards the German border on Sunday, after burning around 3,000 hectares of land in the country’s eastern High Fens nature reserve.
Firefighters battled the blaze through the night as authorities worked to prevent the flames from reaching nearby villages.
The fire, which started on Friday, has brought together emergency crews from across Belgium as well as neighbouring Germany and Luxembourg. The Belgian army and local farmers have also joined efforts to contain the rapidly spreading blaze.
Firefighters were focusing on the front line moving towards Germany on Sunday. Authorities said cooler and more humid weather could help slow the fire and make containment efforts easier.
EU sends aircraft as fire spreads
The scale of the blaze has prompted an international response. After Belgium requested emergency assistance, the European Union deployed three helicopters and two water-bomber aircraft from across Europe on Saturday to support firefighting operations.
The fire has already grown to more than twice the size of the previous record wildfire in the region. A 2011 blaze burned nearly 1,400 hectares, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System.
Authorities have also evacuated residents from villages considered at risk. The defensive line established to protect the affected communities was still holding on Sunday, officials said. However, people who were evacuated on Saturday were told not to return home yet.
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“No homes have been affected at this stage,” the office of the governor of Liege said, while warning that the fire remained close and smoke levels were significant.
Heatwave raises wildfire concerns
The wildfire erupted as Belgium and several other European countries experienced their fifth heatwave of the summer this week.
Hot and dry conditions have increased the risk of wildfires across parts of Europe, allowing fires to spread more rapidly and making them harder to control.
Scientists have linked the growing frequency and intensity of such conditions to human-caused climate change. Higher temperatures can dry out vegetation and soil, creating conditions in which fires can ignite more easily and continue burning for longer periods.
For Belgian firefighters, the immediate priority remains stopping the blaze from advancing further towards Germany and protecting nearby communities.
Authorities are hoping that the change in weather will provide some relief as emergency crews continue working on the ground and aircraft assist from above. The fire, however, remains active and residents in evacuated areas have been warned that it is too early to return.