Topic overview
Briefly
- A wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve forced evacuations of two villages.
- The fire, burning since Thursday, was described as the country's worst in recent history.
- International aid, including water-bombing aircraft and helicopters, was deployed to help fight the
What happened
On Saturday, August 15, 2026, Belgian firefighters continued to battle a massive wildfire that had been burning since Thursday in the High Fens, the country's largest nature reserve. The fire, described by regional authorities as the worst in recent history, forced the evacuation of two nearby villages as flames consumed about a third of the park. The blaze remained out of control by Saturday afternoon, with officials warning that it could reach homes. Water-bombing aircraft from Sweden and helicopters from the Czech Republic and the Netherlands were dispatched to assist, while more than 500 firefighters were deployed on the ground. The difficult terrain, consisting of bog-like moorland and forests, hampered firefighting efforts, and shifting winds complicated the operation. Firefighters allowed parts of the heathland to burn because they were too difficult to access, focusing instead on protecting the fir forest and residential areas. The fire was one of several wildfires across Europe that weekend, including a forest fire in southwestern France that forced hundreds to evacuate. The extreme heat of the summer had left large areas of land dry and vulnerable, contributing to the rapid spread of the flames. Local officials opened a gymnasium to accommodate evacuees, and authorities continued to monitor the situation as the fire threatened to spread further.
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