Fire devastates unique High Fens bog; recovery could take centuries

A devastating fire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve has reduced a unique, centuries-old raised bog ecosystem to ashes, raising serious concerns about the long-term environmental impact.

What took hundreds of years to form has been destroyed in mere days. The High Fens, a rare habitat for specialized plant and animal species, is characterized by its raised bog, which is fed solely by precipitation. This normally very wet environment, receiving significantly more rainfall than regions like Flanders, supports unique flora and fauna.

Professor Kris Verheyen from Ghent University (UGent) explains that peat forms from dead plant material that cannot fully decompose in the wet conditions, accumulating over long periods. "With living raised bog, where annual growth occurs, we speak of an average growth of 1 millimeter per year," Verheyen stated. Given that some peat layers are over a meter thick, the formation process is clearly ancient.

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Recovery can take decades and perhaps even centuries.

Verheyen warns that the recovery of the damaged peatland could take "decades and perhaps even centuries." Unlike a major fire in 2011, which occurred in spring when the soil was still damp and the fire did not penetrate deeply, this recent blaze occurred in August during exceptional drought. This has allowed the fire to burn into the soil, potentially causing far greater and more lasting damage.

The consequences extend beyond the immediate destruction of the bog. The fire threatens the area's biodiversity and could negatively impact water drainage, altering the delicate ecological balance of this unique European natural area.

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With living raised bog, where annual growth occurs, we speak of an average growth of 1 millimeter per year.