Firefighters are working to contain a forest fire in the southeastern Netherlands after the blaze spread overnight to cover around 100 hectares (247 acres), authorities said on Tuesday.
The wildfire is the latest in a series of blazes across western Europe following deadly heatwaves that have dried out riverbeds and vegetation, AFP reported.
Scientists have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events to human-induced climate change.
The fire broke out around midday on Monday in a nature reserve near the village of Oostrum in Limburg province, close to the German border.
By early Tuesday, the blaze had expanded to about 100 hectares and remained out of control, according to provincial authorities.
A regional safety spokesperson told the ANP news agency that constantly shifting winds had accelerated the fire’s spread and made firefighting efforts more difficult.
Around 300 emergency responders worked through the night to contain the blaze, while firefighting helicopters were scheduled to resume operations on Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Officials evacuated a nearby campsite as a precaution, and rail services passing through the affected area were suspended.
Provincial authorities said the exact cause of the fire had not yet been determined, but warned that dry conditions allow fires to spread rapidly through nature reserves.
Much of Europe is experiencing severe drought, with dried-up rivers, water restrictions and destructive wildfires following an unprecedented heatwave in June.
Scientists from World Weather Attribution warned last month that human-driven climate change has accelerated moisture loss from soil, lakes and rivers, increasing the likelihood of extreme drought conditions.