Technology and Science15 August, 20262 min read
Belgium Battles Record Wildfire in High Fens, EU Sends Czech, Sweden, Netherlands Aircraft
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High Fens wildfire becomes Belgium's largest on record, burning about 2,700 hectares. EU deployed three helicopters and two water-bomber aircraft from Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands.
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Belgium’s record blaze
Belgium battled a record wildfire in the High Fens nature reserve near the German border, with the flames consuming about 2,000 hectares and forcing the deployment of international aid. The fire was described as Belgium’s largest on record, surpassing a 2011 blaze that burned about 1,400 hectares, and it was already affecting the reserve in the eastern part of the country.
By early Saturday afternoon, it had burned 1,600 hectares, and local authorities in the village of Sourbrodt told residents to prepare for a possible evacuation. The European Union sent three helicopters and two water-bombers provided by the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the Netherlands, as Belgium’s civil protection response expanded across the border region.
Evacuations and officials
As the wildfire tore through the High Fens, residents were ordered to evacuate two nearby villages, with local officials warning the fire could reach homes. Wallonia authorities said the blaze remained out of control as of Saturday afternoon, and Nicolas Yernaux, spokesman for the regional authorities in Wallonia, said, "There is a risk that the fire could reach homes, but we are deploying all available resources to protect them,".
In the Waimes area, restaurant owner David Rodolfs told AFP, "You can't see a thing anymore, there's smoke everywhere," as authorities ordered around 600 residents in parts of Waimes, Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach to evacuate. European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said the deployment was the latest sign of the "climate upheaval" affecting the continent, adding, "Never before has the wildfire season started so early in the year and reached such northern latitudes,".
What’s at stake next
The High Fens fire’s rapid growth and difficult terrain were central to the operational challenge, with officials saying firefighters had "allowed parts of the heathland to burn because the area is very difficult to access". Belgium’s response also hinged on cross-border coordination through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which the BBC said was activated to trigger reinforcements from other countries.
“The country activated the EU's civil protection mechanism, triggering reinforcements from other countries.”
The stakes extended beyond the reserve itself, as authorities warned the flames could reach homes and opened a gymnasium to accommodate those evacuating their residences. As the blaze continued, the EU’s crisis coordination and pooled aircraft capacity were positioned as the mechanism for sustaining aerial support while ground crews worked to protect settlements and prevent further spread.