Home / Disasters and Accidents / Europe Ablaze: Belgium & Greece Battles Massive Wildfires
Europe Ablaze: Belgium & Greece Battles Massive Wildfires
17 Aug
Summary
- Belgium's High Fens nature reserve is experiencing one of its worst wildfires.
- Two fatalities were reported on the Greek island of Salamina due to a wildfire.
- Hot and dry conditions are fueling significant wildfires across Europe.
Wildfires are currently engulfing parts of Europe, exacerbated by unusually hot and dry weather. Belgium is confronting a massive blaze in its High Fens nature reserve, an area of approximately 30 square kilometers, marking one of the country's most severe wildfires on record.
Over 600 residents and tourists in nearby Belgian municipalities were advised to evacuate as the fire spread. The situation in Greece has been more tragic, with two elderly individuals losing their lives on the island of Salamina, near Athens, due to a wildfire.
International support has been mobilized, with Belgium activating the EU's civil protection mechanism. Aircraft from Sweden and the Netherlands are assisting Belgian firefighters. France, the UK, and Germany are also reporting significant wildfire incidents, highlighting a continent-wide challenge.
The fires follow weeks of intense heat across Europe, with temperatures reaching approximately 37°C in parts of Belgium recently. The dry conditions and the nature of the High Fens landscape present considerable difficulties for containment efforts.
