Belgian Wildfire Escalates to 3,000 Hectares on Third Day



A drone view shows a farmer using his tractor to spray burned fields and forests during a wildfire
Local farmers joined fighters from both sides of the border to tackle the blaze on Sunday


The blaze has more than tripled in a single day, growing from 850 hectares to 3,000 hectares since Saturday morning, making it the largest forest fire Belgium has seen in recent history.


Hundreds of firefighters, with support from Sweden, the Netherlands and local farmers, have been battling the flames in the High Fens nature reserve, which lies along the eastern border with Germany.


The high heat, moorland terrain and bog‑like ground have hampered efforts, and while the front near Jalhay and Monschau has been brought under control, the fire remains a threat to nearby villages, prompting evacuations but with no reported property damage.


The fire is part of a weekend of widespread wildfires across Europe, with incidents reported in Greece, Croatia, Spain and Serbia after a summer of extreme heat, a record‑breaking period for the continent.


Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said that aerial water‑bombing by helicopters from Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden was essential in containing the flames; however, access challenges mean the cause of the fire remains unclear.