Belgian High Fens wildfire forces evacuations as crews battle blaze
A large wildfire in Belgium's High Fens has burned over 27 square km, forcing hundreds to evacuate and prompting a major cross-border response.
Firefighters in eastern Belgium are battling a major wildfire that has scorched more than 27 square kilometers (10 square miles) of the High Fens, a vast nature reserve, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes. The blaze is being described as one of the most severe wildfires in the country's recent history.
Around 600 residents in the nearby municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach, located in Liège province near the German border, were ordered to evacuate on Saturday as shifting winds carried thick smoke across the area. Tourists were also advised to leave, and a local gymnasium was opened to shelter evacuees.
More than 250 emergency personnel have been deployed, including over 100 Belgian and German firefighters, police, military units, and civil protection staff. Firefighting helicopters from Belgium's federal police and the Netherlands are assisting in the operation, according to Liège provincial Governor Hervé Jamar.
As of Sunday morning, no homes had been damaged, though the fire remained dangerously close to residential areas and heavy smoke persisted. Authorities urged the public to stay away from the fire zone, warning that unnecessary traffic could block emergency vehicles and hamper firefighting efforts.
The blaze follows weeks of unusually hot and dry weather, and the High Fens' mix of heathland and peat bogs has made containment particularly difficult. In the nearby German town of Monschau, officials warned that the fire was about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the border and advised residents in three outlying districts to temporarily leave due to potential health risks from smoke.
Belgium has experienced intense heat this week, with temperatures reaching around 37°C (98.6°F) in parts of the country on Friday.