Firefighters were in a fierce battle against a massive wildfire that ravaged a nature reserve in eastern Belgium and another on a Greek island near Athens. The fires, fueled by hot and dry conditions, have been wreaking havoc across parts of Europe.
In eastern Belgium, a blaze consumed approximately 30 square kilometers in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes), marking one of the worst wildfires in recent history for the country. Around 600 residents in the nearby municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach, situated in Liège province near the German border, were instructed to evacuate as winds changed direction and smoke enveloped the area. Tourists were also advised to leave, and an adjacent gymnasium was prepared to shelter evacuees.
Hervé Jamar, the provincial governor of Liège, disclosed that over 250 emergency personnel were mobilized, including more than 100 Belgian and German firefighters, alongside police, military officers, and civil protection staff. Additionally, firefighting helicopters operated by Belgium’s federal police and the Netherlands were deployed to help combat the inferno.
On a Greek island, Salamina, west of Athens, tragedy struck as an elderly couple lost their lives outside their home due to the fire. Over 500 individuals were rescued from the island. The blaze ignited during Greece’s busy summer weekend around the Aug. 15 Assumption holiday, drawing many Athenians to nearby islands like Salamina, conveniently reachable from the capital’s primary port of Piraeus. Reports indicated property damage and five people receiving medical attention at a local clinic.
In response to the blazes, about 192 firefighters, 14 aircraft and helicopters, volunteer crews, and municipal water tankers were deployed to contain the wildfires. Coastal guard and firefighting vessels were dispatched to Salamina, with contingency plans for potential sea evacuations from threatened coastal regions. Salamina was under a high wildfire risk alert, and the fire’s cause remains unknown.
The ongoing wildfire in Belgium has surpassed a 2011 blaze that scorched nearly 14 square kilometers in the same region, previously the nation’s largest wildfire on record. Nicolas Yernaux, a spokesperson for the Public Service of Wallonia, noted that conditions this time are notably worse due to extremely dry soil exacerbating the situation.
René Dahmen, chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forests, mentioned that the fire continued to spread on Sunday, especially in hard-to-reach areas for crews. The focus was on preventing the fire from advancing towards a municipal forest on the eastern flank.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin confirmed that diligent firefighting efforts prevented the blaze from spreading towards the west and the German town of Monschau. Nearby, German authorities warned of the fire’s proximity to the border, prompting farmers from both Belgium and Germany to assist firefighters by transporting water from a nearby lake to the fire zone.
Belgium activated the European Union’s civil protection mechanism to receive support from other nations. Hadja Lahbib, the EU’s commissioner overseeing crisis management, emphasized that Belgium is not facing the wildfires alone. Sweden dispatched two water-bombing aircraft, while three helicopters from the Netherlands and the Czech Republic were also enlisted for aid.
The wildfires across Europe have been exacerbated by a prolonged period of scorching and arid weather. The unique landscape of the High Fens, comprising heathland and peat bogs, has posed challenges in containing the flames. Belgium experienced another bout of intense heat, with temperatures reaching approximately 37°C in certain regions on Friday.
In France, firefighters managed a wildfire in a pine forest in the southwestern Landes region with no major flare-ups overnight. Authorities estimated the burned area at 17 square kilometers and evacuated around 650 individuals from their homes. This fire marked the third significant wildfire in the vast pine forests of southwestern France this summer.
Emergency crews in the United Kingdom tackled 14 wildfires in South Wales, supported by military personnel. Despite the easing of the heatwave, the persistent drought conditions have sustained a high risk of wildfires. In Germany, progress was made against a wildfire in the Hürtgen Forest, allowing evacuated residents to return home as crews contained the fire and implemented safeguards to prevent further spread.