Belgian Peat Fire Smoulders Underground Amid WWII Munitions Risk
A wildfire in Belgium's High Fens has burrowed into peat, threatening to reignite for weeks. Crews also face the risk of undiscovered WWII munitions.
Firefighters in eastern Belgium are battling a stubborn wildfire that has burrowed deep underground, with the added danger of unexploded World War II munitions lurking beneath the scorched landscape.
The blaze, which has already consumed around 30 square kilometres of the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve, has penetrated layers of peat beneath the grasslands. Yves Pieper, a forestry officer in the region, explained that the fire can continue to smoulder without oxygen or visible smoke, making it extremely difficult to detect and extinguish.
"It can be burning without oxygen and without smoke," Pieper said, noting that this could lead to new flare-ups in the weeks or even months ahead. He pointed to past incidents where flames suddenly reappeared in unexpected locations as the fire crept underground.
Crews are using off-road fire trucks, helicopters, and water tanks hauled by tractors to manage the situation. About 600 residents from the nearby municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach were evacuated over the weekend as shifting winds carried smoke across the area.
The region was the site of the Battle of the Bulge during WWII, and Pieper acknowledged that unexploded ammunition may still be present. He recalled that an ammunition explosion occurred in the area about 15 years ago, though no such incident has occurred during this fire. Some known German shells have not been affected by the flames so far.
Pieper stressed the need for patience, saying crews must remain vigilant for weeks, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.