EUPEN, Belgium — Belgium is facing its largest wildfire on record after a rapidly spreading blaze in the High Fens nature reserve consumed roughly 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) by Sunday, August 16, threatening to push toward the German border and forcing authorities to intensify firefighting operations.
The fire, which began Friday in eastern Belgium, has expanded dramatically in just days. On Saturday, authorities reported that approximately 2,700 hectares had already burned—up from about 1,600 hectares earlier that day. By Sunday morning, the affected area had reached around 3,000 hectares, according to local authorities cited by Reuters.
That scale makes the blaze substantially larger than Belgium’s previous major wildfire record. A 2011 fire burned close to 1,400 hectares, meaning the current High Fens blaze has already scorched more than twice that area.
Flames push toward the German border
The fire is burning across the High Fens, a large protected nature reserve known for its peat bogs, heathland and forests.
Firefighters from Belgium have been joined by crews from neighboring Germany and Luxembourg, while Belgian military personnel and local farmers have also been assisting with the response.
The difficult terrain is making direct firefighting particularly challenging. Dry vegetation and peatland can allow flames and embers to continue burning beneath or across the surface, complicating efforts to establish secure fire lines.
Authorities have evacuated or ordered precautionary departures from several nearby communities. Around 600 residents in the municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach were evacuated as shifting winds and heavy smoke increased the danger, according to the Associated Press. No homes had been reported destroyed as of Sunday.
The threat is no longer confined to Belgium.
The German town of Monschau, close to the border, warned residents about significant smoke pollution and advised people in areas near the frontier to leave if necessary. Reuters reported that authorities did not expect the fire to cross into Germany at that point, but continued to monitor the situation closely.
Europe sends aircraft as Belgium struggles to contain the blaze
Belgium has turned to European emergency assistance as the scale of the fire overwhelms conventional ground operations.
The European Union deployed three helicopters and two water-bomber aircraft after Belgium requested emergency reinforcements. Sweden contributed two water-bombing aircraft through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, while helicopters from European partners have also been involved in the operation.
The aerial response is particularly important because sections of the High Fens are difficult for firefighting vehicles and crews to reach.
Instead of relying solely on ground teams, aircraft can drop water directly onto active fire fronts and help slow the blaze while crews work to strengthen defensive lines.
Heat and dry conditions add to the danger
The wildfire comes during an exceptionally hot summer across Europe.
Belgium has been experiencing another heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach around 37°C (98.6°F) in parts of the country. The combination of heat, dry vegetation and wind has created conditions favorable for rapid fire growth.
The Belgian disaster is also part of a much wider European wildfire crisis.
France, Germany, Greece, Croatia and other countries have been battling major fires this summer, with evacuations and emergency deployments reported across several regions. Reuters has linked the increasingly dangerous fire environment to extreme heat, drought and the broader effects of climate change.
The European wildfire season has become an increasingly serious concern as hotter and drier conditions make vegetation more vulnerable to ignition and allow fires to spread faster.
The battle is far from over
Firefighters continued working through the night into Sunday, trying to prevent the flames from reaching populated areas and from advancing farther toward Germany.
Authorities are relying on defensive fire lines, ground crews and aerial water drops while monitoring changes in wind direction.
Cooler and more humid weather expected in the area could help firefighters gain the upper hand, but officials remain cautious because wildfire behavior can change quickly when dry vegetation, wind and difficult terrain combine.
For now, the priority remains protecting communities around the High Fens and preventing the unprecedented blaze from expanding even farther.
But with 3,000 hectares already burned, Belgium is confronting a wildfire unlike anything seen in the country in modern records—and the next shift in wind or weather could determine how much farther the flames go.
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