Belgium's largest wildfire burns 3,000 hectares, prompts evacuations near German border

Fire breaks out in the High Fens

Belgium's largest recorded wildfire erupted at midday on Friday, 14 August, in the High Fens (Fagnes) natural park near the German border, a protected area of peatlands and pine forests. By Sunday morning, 16 August, the fire had consumed approximately 3,000 hectares (30,000 stremmata), according to local authorities, making it more than twice the size of the 2011 blaze that burned about 1,400 hectares in the same region. The area also experienced destructive fires in 1911, during a period similarly marked by high temperatures and drought. The fire is affecting particularly vulnerable ecosystems, destroying stretches of peatland and pine forest.

Cross-border threat and evacuations

The fire front was positioned 1.5 km from the German border and 1.8 km from the nearest inhabited area, according to a statement from the Monschau municipal authority. The German town of Monschau, with a population of approximately 12,000, advised residents in border areas to evacuate as a precaution against expected significant atmospheric pollution from smoke, even though the flames were not expected to cross into German territory.

Consequently, a recommendation was issued to residents of areas near the border to evacuate these areas.

Belgian authorities had already ordered the evacuation of the town of Kichelscheid, located about 10 minutes by car from Monschau. Two Belgian villages were evacuated on Saturday, and residents were told not to return to their homes as of Sunday. The governor of Liège's office reported that no houses had been affected so far, though the fire remained close and smoke levels were significant.

Firefighting response on the ground and from the air

More than 250 firefighters and emergency service personnel fought the flames through the night. Ground forces from across Belgium, as well as from Germany and Luxembourg, were supported by the army and local farmers with their vehicles. Authorities described the conditions as complex, with winds shifting direction repeatedly despite reduced fire intensity.

The conditions are complex. Despite the reduced intensity, the winds changed direction many times during the night.

Firefighting efforts focused on the front moving toward Germany, with officials hoping that lower temperatures and higher humidity on Sunday would help contain the advance. Belgian police helicopters and Dutch aircraft were already operating by Sunday morning, conducting continuous water drops with refilling from a nearby lake.

European assistance mobilized

Belgium activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism after the scale of the fire exceeded the capacity of domestic forces alone. The European Union deployed three helicopters and two firefighting aircraft from the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the Netherlands, starting from Saturday, 15 August. Additional helicopters from the Czech Republic and Sweden were set to join the operation. European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib indicated that assistance from Germany and Norway was also possible. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed gratitude to the European countries that responded to Belgium's request for help.

Wider European wildfire context

The Belgian fire is part of a broader wave of wildfires affecting Europe this summer, as repeated heatwaves and prolonged drought have created highly flammable conditions across multiple countries. Large fires have prompted evacuations in Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, and Spain. In France, firefighting forces continued to battle several fronts, including a fire approaching the Belgian border. The Belgian blaze erupted during the fifth heatwave of the summer across European countries including Belgium. As of Sunday, the defensive firebreaks protecting evacuated villages remained under control, though the overall fire was still described as uncontained.