Home / Disasters and Accidents / Belgium Wildfire Controlled After 7-Day Battle
Belgium Wildfire Controlled After 7-Day Battle
20 Aug
Summary
- Belgium's largest wildfire in a century was controlled after a seven-day fight.
- Hundreds of firefighters battled difficult terrain in the High Fens nature reserve.
- Evacuation orders have been lifted, allowing residents to return home.
Belgium's most significant wildfire in a century, raging in the High Fens nature reserve, has been declared under control after a seven-day battle. Approximately 350 firefighters and emergency personnel, supported by mobilizing farmers, worked tirelessly to contain the extensive blaze.
The fire, which mushroomed to half the size of Manhattan, charred peatland, pine trees, and hiking trails. Firefighters faced numerous challenges, including powerful winds and difficult boggy terrain, exacerbated by a 'mini-tornado' striking a nearby town.
Aerial support from multiple European countries aided ground crews. Although the fire is contained on its western side, operations continue to the east. Residents evacuated from several hamlets and a town on the German border have been permitted to return home.
Officials caution that preventing reignition will require weeks or months of continuous dousing. The High Fens blaze, whose origins remain unknown, is the country's largest wildfire since 1911, occurring during a period of intense heatwaves across Europe.
