Belgium wildfire burns 27 sq km in High Fens reserve

Emergency services are fighting what officials described as the largest wildfire ever recorded in Belgium, with flames moving through the High Fens nature reserve near the German border. Authorities said the blaze started on Friday in Liege province and has already burned more than 27 square kilometers.

Officials said the burned area exceeds Belgium’s previous national record of 14 square kilometers, set in 2011. Crews on the ground have been working to slow the advance and limit the impact on nearby communities as conditions continue to shift.

High Fens

Heat, drought and wind shifts complicate containment

Officials attributed the fire’s fast growth to prolonged drought and extreme heatwaves affecting Western Europe. During the incident, local temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius, officials said. Responders have also faced changing wind conditions that have pushed the fire front in different directions. Officials said these wind shifts have made containment harder and raised concern for populated areas close to the reserve. Evacuations ordered in Waimes and Butgenbach Authorities said a multinational force of more than 250 personnel from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands has been mobilised. Officials said teams are focused on slowing the advancing front while protecting built-up areas.

Evacuations have expanded as smoke and changes in Evacuations have expanded as smoke and changes in wind altered local risk conditions. Authorities ordered around 600 residents to leave parts of the municipalities of Waimes and Butgenbach, officials said.

Officials have not provided a timeline for when residents may be able to return. They said the uncertainty depends on whether weather conditions remain stable enough for containment lines to hold.

German authorities track smoke and border proximity

On the German side, officials in the town of Monschau said the fire is within 3 kilometers of the border. They added that they do not currently expect the flames to cross into Germany.

Even without cross-border spread of the fire itself, smoke has prompted warnings in nearby areas. Local authorities said precautionary evacuations have been advised for three German districts due to heavy smoke.

EU wildfire figures provide the wider seasonal backdrop

Officials linked the High Fens blaze to a broader pattern of fires across Europe tied to hot and dry conditions. They said multiple parts of the region are facing increased wildfire pressure this year.

Data cited by officials shows about 500,000 hectares have burned across the European Union so far this year. Within that wider context, officials said the immediate priority remains containing the High Fens fire and preventing further damage and additional evacuations.

For now, officials said the key unknown is how quickly winds and weather may change around the reserve, and whether containment lines can hold as firefighting operations continue.