Belgium's largest wildfire on record is rapidly advancing toward Germany, having doubled in size within 24 hours and burned through more than 7,000 acres of forest. The inferno, which began Friday in the hard-to-access High Fens nature reserve near the German border, has prompted the evacuation of approximately 600 residents from nearby villages.
Military helicopters, including Chinook aircraft from the Netherlands, are hauling water to aid hundreds of firefighters and emergency workers in their efforts to contain the blaze. Local farmers are also assisting, using tractors to transport water from a nearby lake. Two water-bombing aircraft from Sweden have arrived to bolster the aerial support, which also includes helicopters from Belgium and the Netherlands.
Despite challenging conditions, Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin stated that two fire fronts are now under control. However, the fire's spread has been complicated by the terrain and shifting winds. The area affected has grown exponentially, from 80 hectares (200 acres) on Friday to 3,000 hectares by Monday morning.
Authorities have described the situation as "extremely difficult," with a kilometer-long section of fire slowly advancing toward a municipal forest on the eastern flank, which is now a primary focus. While no homes have been affected to date, the fire remains close to residential areas, and heavy smoke blankets the region, prompting partial evacuations of two villages. Around 20 residents spent the night in a local sports hall, with others seeking shelter with friends and family. Fumes have also reached the Namur province, leading authorities to ask residents to stop calling emergency lines to report the smell.
The wildfire broke out amid a period of intense heat and drought across much of Europe. Temperatures in Belgium reached as high as 37 degrees Celsius on Friday, creating ideal conditions for wildfires. The precise cause of the High Fens fire remains unknown as rescue teams have been unable to access the initial ignition area. The nature of the High Fens, with its mix of heathland and peat bogs, has complicated containment efforts.
The current blaze has surpassed a 2011 fire in the same area, which burned nearly 14 square kilometers (5.4 square miles) and was previously Belgium's largest wildfire on record. Officials note that the current conditions are more severe due to very dry soil.
Meanwhile, in France, firefighters are battling a wildfire in the southwestern Landes region, which has burned an estimated 17 square kilometers (6.6 square miles) and led to the evacuation of about 650 people. This follows two other major wildfires in southwestern France in late July, including one in the Gironde department that forced around 220,000 people to evacuate and burned approximately 420 square kilometers (162 square miles). In the United Kingdom, emergency crews are fighting 14 wildfires in South Wales, with military support, and authorities warn that drought conditions continue to pose a high risk of further fires.