A wildfire erupted on August 14 in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve near the German border, becoming the country's largest on record by burning about 3,000 hectares through August 16-17 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The fire covers boggy peatlands, pine forests, moorland, and hiking trails, complicating containment efforts [3, 4].
About 600 people were evacuated from nearby towns including Butgenbach, Waimes, and Sourbrodt as flames neared residential areas, but no homes have been destroyed so far [3, 5]. The blaze is approaching the German border near Monschau, where officials issued evacuation warnings and smoke alerts [2, 6]. Franz-Karl Boden, deputy to the Monschau mayor, said there is currently no expectation the fire will cross into Germany, but firefighting efforts will continue [7].
More than 250 firefighters from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and the Czech Republic worked alongside the military and local farmers to fight the fire [3, 8, 9]. The European Union helped by sending three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft starting August 15-16 [1, 4]. Heavy smoke spread as far as eastern France and western Germany, prompting air quality warnings in cities such as Cologne and Wuppertal [5, 6].
Yesterday (August 17), rainfall and cooler temperatures helped slow the fire's advance and raised humidity, improving containment chances [4, 6]. "Responders on Sunday were focused on the front line of the fire moving towards Germany and were hopeful that cooler, more humid weather would support efforts to contain it," said Stephanie Ernoux, a Wallonia region spokesperson [1]. Firefighters continued their push to fully encircle the fire on August 18 despite difficult terrain, underground peat smoldering, and intermittent wind hampering water-bombing operations [5, 6, 9]. Nicolas Yernaux, a regional government spokesperson, stated, "We are trying to definitively encircle the fire today. In areas where firefighters could operate, the fire was under control and contained." [5]
Belgium experienced a heatwave with temperatures reaching 37°C on August 14-15, conditions that increased fire risk and which scientists link to human-driven climate change [1, 10]. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin praised international cooperation, saying, "On this third day of fighting the fires, all resources remain mobilised on the ground. We can also count on the solidarity of our European partners ... thank you to everyone who mobilised to fight the fires. United, we are stronger." [3]
Firefighters will continue containment efforts amid variable weather and challenging peatland conditions today, aiming to fully control the largest wildfire ever recorded in Belgium.
