Europe continues to battle wildfires as Belgium sees biggest blaze in recorded history
Heatwave Fuels Simultaneous Wildfire Crisis Across Six European Nations
Poinews.com – Persistent scorching temperatures and bone-dry conditions have pushed firefighting services in Belgium, Spain, France, Germany, Croatia, and Greece into a multi-front battle against large-scale blazes. What began as isolated incidents has escalated into a coordinated continental emergency, with crews stretched thin across national borders.
Belgium's High Fens Blaze Becomes Largest in Recorded History
A fire that ignited two days earlier inside the High Fens nature reserve has more than doubled its footprint within a single day, consuming roughly 3,000 hectares of land. Officials in the Wallonia region confirmed it now stands as the biggest wildfire Belgium has ever documented. More than 250 firefighters alongside other emergency personnel were committed to the operation on Saturday night.
The reserve's combination of vast peatlands and dense pine stands makes it exceptionally susceptible to ignition once prolonged heat strips moisture from the ground. Belgium's unified defence force announced via social media that troops and military vehicles had been dispatched to back up civilian crews. Firefighters from adjacent Germany and Luxembourg crossed into the country to assist, as the front line crept toward the German border. Local farmers joined the effort on the ground.
On Saturday, Belgium formally triggered the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, drawing three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft from Sweden, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. In Liège province, roughly 600 residents received evacuation orders during the afternoon; a temporary rest shelter was opened in a gymnasium within the neighbouring Malmedy municipality.
Spain's Aragon Fire Threatens Millennium-Old Monastery
In the Huesca municipality of Las Peñas de Riglos, a wildfire that erupted just over a week ago has scorched an area reaching up to 16,600 hectares. Strong winds have accelerated its spread and complicated containment operations. Regional authorities in Aragon mobilised what they described as the largest firefighting arsenal ever assembled in the region's history, while French reinforcements were expected to arrive to help ring-fence the blaze. The fire has put a monastery dating back approximately 1,000 years at risk.
France: Two Fronts, One Out of Control
In the southwestern Landes department, authorities reported no significant flare-ups overnight, though the large-scale operation continues. Since Thursday, more than 1,700 hectares—predominantly pine forest—have been consumed. French media indicated that 550 firefighters, backed by military personnel and six water-bombing aircraft, remain on scene; the fire has not yet been brought under control.
A separate blaze in the northeastern Ardennes region showed signs of improvement after burning through 100 hectares. David Gouzou, deputy director of the Ardennes fire service, characterised the situation as
"unprecedented in the recent history"
Germany's Hürtgen Forest Evacuees Return Home
Across the Belgian border, emergency services made substantial headway against a fire in the Hürtgen forest that had forced evacuations on Friday. Approximately 2,000 residents displaced from the village of Gey were permitted to return Saturday evening, according to German news agency dpa.
Croatia and Greece: Coastal and Island Blazes
Croatian authorities arrested four individuals suspected of deliberately igniting wildfires along the coastline. The fires tore through pine forests and olive groves under conditions of extreme heat and drought.
In Greece, crews spent a second consecutive day battling a forest outbreak on the island of Skyros. The local mayor told media outlets he expected the fire to be fully extinguished within another day.
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