One of Belgium’s biggest wildfires was still burning out of control on Monday, although cooler weather and rain brought some relief to firefighters, while Greece quickly contained a fresh blaze near Athens’ main airport. Across Europe, a summer marked by extreme heat and drought has continued to drive major fires, with a recent study saying climate change has fuelled the conditions.
In Belgium, Greece and France, authorities were dealing with the aftermath of fast-moving fires even as weather conditions improved in some places. While the Belgian fire remained active, Greece stepped up investigations after a deadly blaze near Athens, and France said a fire in its southwest was under control after four days of firefighting.
Belgium’s King Philippe cut short his summer holiday to visit emergency teams battling the wildfire in the eastern High Fens, about eight kilometres from the German border. The fire spread east after moving into a pine forest on Sunday. In Liege province, it has burnt an estimated 30 square kilometres, leaving blackened trees and smouldering ground, with the smell of wood smoke hanging over the fog-covered forest early on Monday. Dozens of firefighters were joined by aircraft from Norway, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, while local police used drones to track the fire after overnight rain arrived with a cold front.
Nicolas Yernaux, spokesperson for the Wallonia regional public services, said, “We managed to maintain the fire where the firemen are situated but there’s still a place which is totally inaccessible, where the fire is still going on in the direction of Monschau in Germany.” He said the rain helped contain the blaze and reduced the risk of hidden fires flaring up again, but added that it had little effect on the centre of the fire. “Where it is burning, I am not sure it’s really helping,” he said. Precautionary evacuation orders for hundreds of residents remained in place on Monday. Thomas van Sante, owner of the Mont Dragon hotel near the affected park, said tourists had left the area and cancelled bookings. “There’s rain now but it is not enough,” he said.
In Greece, fire department investigators examined the area on the island of Salamina, west of Athens, where a fast-moving wildfire on Sunday killed two people, injured nine others and destroyed several homes. On Monday, another fire broke out in Spata, east of Athens, an area that includes the main international airport. Dozens of firefighters, supported by two water-dropping planes and two helicopters, moved in and the fire was contained within 30 minutes, the fire department said. In a separate development, an 80-year-old man was arrested in the northern town of Kavala on arson charges for allegedly deliberately setting fire to dried vegetation. The department said there had been 302 fire-related arrests in Greece since January 1, including 31 for deliberate arson and 271 for negligence that caused fires.
In southwestern France, authorities said a fire in the Landes region was under control after four days of battling the flames, allowing about half of the evacuated residents to begin returning home. More than 600 residents were evacuated last week as the fire burnt about 17 square kilometres during a long spell of extreme heat. Temperatures began to fall on Monday, offering some relief. Overall, Europe remained under pressure from a severe summer of heat and drought, with Belgium still fighting a major blaze, Greece dealing with deadly and new fires, and France moving towards recovery.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 17, 2026 18:12 IST