Belgian Fagnes Fire Continues Overnight with German Reinforcements; 850 Hectares Affected

An extensive fire continues to rage in the Hautes Fagnes region of Belgium, with firefighters actively working through the night to contain the flames. Hervé Jamar, the governor of the Liège province, confirmed that intervention efforts are ongoing, bolstered by reinforcements from other Belgian emergency zones and Germany. These teams are now working alongside those already engaged in the difficult task of controlling the blaze. The fire, which ignited Friday afternoon in the Fagne des Deux-Séries, has already impacted approximately 850 hectares of vegetation, according to the governor's morning update. Provincial authorities have stressed that, at present, no further measures are necessary for the public, and no evacuations are anticipated for residents of Baelen, the affected commune. The fire is currently confined to the vegetation within the Fagnes.

To aid in the firefighting efforts, two federal police helicopters equipped with "Bambi buckets" – water-carrying devices for aerial drops – are set to resume operations at first light. The provincial plan was activated on Friday shortly after the fire began. Governor Jamar noted that the situation in the Liège province is not comparable to the "particularly rapid and violent" fires recently observed in other parts of Europe. He also pointed out that the fauna in the Fagnes has the capacity to move away from the fire zone. Despite these reassurances, the Wallonia region has been placed on high alert for forest fire risk, underscoring the dry conditions contributing to the current situation.