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Record blaze near Germany
Belgium battled its largest wildfire on record in the eastern High Fens nature reserve near the German border, with the fire burning around 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) and approaching within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of the German border.
“burned around 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) in the eastern High Fens nature reserve”
Belgian authorities ordered around 600 residents in parts of Waimes, Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach to evacuate as shifting winds and heavy smoke raised concerns that the fire could reach homes, while tourists were also advised to leave the area.
On Saturday, the European Union deployed three helicopters and two water bombers as Belgium deployed additional firefighters, and the operation relied heavily on aerial resources because difficult terrain hampered firefighting efforts.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin told AFP he was "shocked" at the fire's speed and extent of the destruction, and Nicolas Yernaux, a spokesperson 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."
Evacuations, smoke, and climate
Residents described the visibility and health threat from the blaze, with David Rodolfs, a restaurant owner in Waimes, telling the AFP news agency, "You can't see a thing anymore, there's smoke everywhere," as a gymnasium in a neighboring municipality was opened up to offer shelter.
In Germany’s Monschau in the Eifel region, officials warned residents to prepare for possible evacuation and advised people living in three districts to temporarily seek accommodation elsewhere if possible, while the local fire brigade said it did not expect the fire to enter German territory any time soon.
European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib called the blaze 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," as scientists linked human-caused climate change to hot and dry conditions.
The Canberra Times reported that by early Sunday AEST the fire had burned 2700ha and had increased from 1600 hectares earlier in the day, while the office of the governor of Liege said the terrain of the nature reserve was making it difficult for emergency services to attack at close range using their usual resources.
EU mechanism and next steps
Belgium activated the EU’s civil protection mechanism, and the EU deployed aircraft and helicopters from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands through European emergency-response arrangements as the High Fens fire expanded.
“The request was announced by European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib”
The Brussels Times said the request was announced by European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib and that one helicopter and two aircraft from the EU fleet had been deployed, while a rescEU helicopter specialised in fighting forest fires was due to arrive from the Czech Republic and begin operations on Sunday for around three days.
The Canberra Times said tourists staying in the area were advised to leave, while a children's summer camp was also evacuated, and Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said in a post on X that the camp had been evacuated.
As the blaze continued to spread across peatlands and pine forests, the DW report said Belgium activated the EU's civil protection mechanism and that firefighters from Germany and Luxembourg joined the response, while farmers helped emergency crews by wetting down the area.
