Belgium is battling its largest recorded wildfire, which has burned around 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) in the eastern High Fens nature reserve.
The wildfire came within 300 metres (984 feet) of the German border, prompting authorities to carry out precautionary evacuations in the German town of Monschau.
The fire broke out on Friday and spread rapidly through peatlands and pine forests.
Evacuations in Belgium
Authorities ordered around 600 residents in parts of Waimes, Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach to leave their homes on Saturday as shifting winds and heavy smoke raised concerns that the fire could reach residential areas.
Tourists were also advised to leave the area, while a gymnasium in a neighbouring municipality was opened as a temporary shelter.
Reinforcements were brought in from across Belgium to support firefighting operations.
“You can’t see a thing anymore, there’s smoke everywhere,” restaurant owner David Rodolfs in Waimes told AFP.
EU support deployed
Belgium activated the EU’s civil protection mechanism as authorities sought additional resources to contain the blaze.
Three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft were deployed from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Firefighters from Germany and Luxembourg also joined the response, while local farmers supported emergency crews by wetting down areas around the fire.
Difficult terrain has hampered efforts on the ground, with operations relying heavily on aircraft. Authorities have also had to allow some difficult-to-access areas to burn.
Wallonia regional authorities spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux said there remained a risk that the fire could reach homes, but all available resources were being deployed to protect them.
Evacuations in Germany
In Monschau, in Germany’s Eifel region, authorities ordered around 30 residents from 17 homes to evacuate as a precaution late on Sunday.
The town is located about 2 kilometres from the Belgian border.
However, by early Monday, the fire was no longer advancing towards the German border. Light rain, lower winds and high humidity were helping firefighters contain the blaze.
Monschau is a major tourist destination in the Eifel region, with around 12,000 residents, and is known for its picturesque Old Town and half-timbered houses.
The town is also around 23 kilometres from the site of another major wildfire in Germany’s Eifel region that forced around 2,000 people to leave their homes on Friday.
Extreme heat raises wildfire concerns
Belgium has also experienced another spell of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 37°C in parts of the country.
Scientists say human-caused climate change is increasing the likelihood of hot and dry conditions that allow wildfires to spread faster and burn for longer.
European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib described the blaze as the latest sign of the “climate upheaval” affecting the continent.
“Never before has the wildfire season started so early in the year and reached such northern latitudes,” she said.
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