**Title: Belgium’s Largest Wildfire on Record Spreads Towards German Border**
**Date: August 16, 2026**
Firefighters are currently engaged in a significant battle against Belgium's largest recorded wildfire, which has been raging through the High Fens nature reserve in the country’s Liege province. The fire, which ignited on Friday, has already consumed over 27 square kilometers (approximately 10.4 square miles) of land and is advancing eastward toward the German border.
The wildfire has prompted a substantial response from emergency services, with over 250 personnel deployed to combat the flames. This includes firefighters not only from Belgium but also from neighboring countries such as Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Stephanie Ernoux, a spokesperson for the Wallonia provincial government, indicated that the primary focus of the firefighting efforts is to contain the advancing front of the fire.
As a precautionary measure, local authorities ordered the evacuation of approximately 600 residents from the border municipalities of Waimes and Butgenbach on Saturday. This decision was made in response to shifting winds that caused smoke to spread into residential areas. Fortunately, as of Sunday morning, officials reported that no homes had been directly affected by the fire, but they urged residents to avoid the fire zone for their safety.
In Germany, the town of Monschau, located near the border, reported that the flames had come within about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) of its territory. While officials do not anticipate that the fire will cross into Germany, they have advised residents in three districts to leave temporarily due to smoke inhalation concerns.
The wildfire coincides with a period of extreme heat in Belgium, where temperatures reached around 37°C (98.6°F) on Friday. This heatwave follows weeks of dry weather, contributing to the conditions that have made wildfires more likely. The situation in Belgium is reflective of broader climatic trends affecting much of Europe, where several countries have experienced temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F) in recent days. The United Kingdom recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures in west London reaching 38.1°C (100.5°F).
The current wildfire marks a significant escalation in Belgium's struggle with wildfires, surpassing the previous record set in 2011, when a fire in the same nature reserve burned 14 square kilometers (5.4 square miles). The European Forest Fire Information System has noted that the ongoing summer has seen a dramatic increase in wildfires across the continent, with about 500,000 hectares (approximately 1.24 million acres) scorched across the European Union this year alone.
The situation remains dynamic, and authorities are closely monitoring the fire's progression while coordinating firefighting efforts across borders. As the region continues to grapple with the effects of climate change and extreme weather patterns, the battle against wildfires is becoming an increasingly urgent challenge for many European nations.