Monschau: 17 Houses Evacuated Due to High Fens Forest Fire

German authorities have ordered the evacuation of 17 houses, affecting up to 30 people, in the Kalterherberg area of Monschau. The decision comes as a massive forest fire raging in the High Fens nature reserve on the Belgian border intensifies. Residents of the affected streets, Ruitzhof and Geisberg, were instructed to leave their homes immediately.

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The current development of the fire in the High Fens requires an immediate evacuation of the following streets in Kalterherberg: Ruitzhof and Geisberg.

The fire, which broke out Friday, is considered the largest forest fire in Belgian history. Firefighters are battling extremely difficult conditions, primarily due to strong, unpredictable winds that constantly shift direction. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described the wind as "completely unpredictable," making it impossible to forecast the fire's spread. As of Sunday evening, the blaze was moving southeast.

Despite earlier hopes that parts of the fire were under control, the situation escalated, prompting the evacuation in Monschau. The challenging terrain of the High Fens, characterized by extensive moorland and limited access routes, further complicates firefighting efforts. An emergency shelter has been established at the secondary school in Simmerath for those displaced.

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The wind is completely unpredictable and turns 360 degrees over the course of a single day.

Belgium is receiving significant international support to combat the unprecedented scale of the fire. Two water-bombing helicopters from the Netherlands and two water-bombing planes from Sweden have been deployed. Firefighters from Germany and Luxembourg are already on the ground, and the Belgian armed forces are providing six fire engines and a tanker truck. The combined efforts aim to contain the blaze that has already destroyed approximately 30 square kilometers of land.

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The fire has reached unprecedented proportions.