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High Fens: wildfire reaches 3,000 hectares, two villages evacuated
Herz — World Desk · · 30s summary · 2 min read
The essentials
A wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve more than doubled in size within 24 hours, reaching 3,000 hectares by early Sunday, according to the BBC. Hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze for a third consecutive day, with two nearby villages evacuated as a precautionary measure. No homes were damaged. Two Swedish water-bombing aircraft joined four helicopters already deployed—two Belgian and two Dutch. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin announced that two fire fronts threatening the towns of Jalhay and Monschau had been contained. Local farmers also transported water tankers to support teams working on both sides of the German border.
- The fire doubled to 3,000 hectares by early Sunday, from 850 hectares on Saturday morning.
- Two nearby villages were evacuated; no homes were damaged.
- Over 500 firefighters worked for three days; Swedish aircraft and helicopters provided aerial support.
- Two fire fronts threatening Jalhay and Monschau were contained.
- The fire's cause remains unknown as rescue teams could not reach its origin.
What we know
A wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve more than doubled in size within 24 hours. The BBC reports it reached 3,000 hectares early Sunday.
Hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze for a third day. Two nearby villages were evacuated as a precaution, but no homes were damaged.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin announced that two fire fronts—one toward Jalhay and another toward Monschau—had been contained.
International aerial support
Two Swedish water-bombing aircraft arrived Sunday afternoon, reinforcing four helicopters already on site: two Belgian and two Dutch.
Local farmers also transported water tankers to the area near the German border, supporting teams working on both sides of the frontier.
High temperatures and difficult terrain—featuring marshes, heathland and forests—complicated firefighting operations. These conditions required heavy reliance on aerial resources.
Timeline of the fire's spread
- FridayFire covers 80 hectares.
- Saturday morningAffected area reaches 850 hectares.
- Early SundayFire expands to 3,000 hectares.
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