Belgium's Largest-Ever Forest Fire Moves Toward German Border
A massive forest fire in Belgium's Hautes Fagnes nature reserve is spreading toward Germany, prompting evacuation advice in the town of Monschau, as the blaze has already destroyed over 3,000 hectares.
A wildfire burning in Belgium's Hautes Fagnes (High Fens) nature reserve has become the largest forest fire in the country's history, and its flames are now approaching the German border. The situation in Monschau, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia near the Belgian border, could worsen overnight into Sunday, August 16.
According to the town administration, the fire front is currently about three kilometers from the German border. Residents of three districts — Plattevenn, Lehloch and Kalterherberg, west of Mesweg — have been strongly urged to leave their homes before morning due to the risk of significant smoke and possible soot fallout. They have been advised to stay with relatives or friends, though a temporary shelter is also being set up for them.
Monschau's fire department is on full alert, and preparations for firefighting are already underway so that response efforts can begin immediately should the fire cross into German territory.
Evacuations and international assistance
Belgian authorities have ordered the evacuation of Küchelscheid, a settlement located just west of Kalterherberg. The fire broke out on Friday afternoon, August 14, and has since spread rapidly, destroying more than 3,000 hectares according to officials. Belgian news agency Belga reported that roughly 600 residents of the Belgian municipalities of Sourbrodt and Bütgenbach have been called to evacuate.
To fight the blaze, Belgium has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to bring in outside assistance. A firefighting helicopter from the Netherlands has already taken part in the effort, and two more helicopters along with two Swedish firefighting planes were expected to join from Sunday.
Meanwhile, the situation in the German Eifel region, in Hürtgenwald, has been improving — after one settlement there was evacuated, around 1,800 residents have since been able to return to their homes.
