Historic Wildfire in Belgium's High Fens Region Spreads Toward German Border Amid Extreme European Heat

A farmer uses his tractor to spray burned fields and forests during a wildfire near Waimes, in the High Fens region, Belgium, August 16, 2026 [Yves Herman/Reuters]. Firefighters are currently battling Belgium’s largest wildfire on record as it burns through the High Fens nature reserve near the German border.

The fire broke out on Friday in Belgium’s Liege province and has been spreading east towards Germany, having already burned more than 27sq km (10.4sq miles). According to the European Forest Fire Information System, Belgium’s previous record fire occurred in 2011, burning 14sq km (5.4sq miles) of the same reserve.

More than 250 emergency services personnel have been deployed, including firefighters from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Stephanie Ernoux, spokesperson for the government of Belgium’s Wallonia province, told the Reuters news agency that firefighters are focusing on containing the advancing front of the fire.

On Saturday, about 600 people in the Belgian border municipalities of Waimes and Butgenbach were ordered to leave their homes as winds shifted and smoke spread. Authorities reported that no homes had been affected as of Sunday morning, though they urged the public to stay away from the fire zone.

Just across the border in Germany, the town of Monschau stated that the fire had come within approximately 3km (1.9 miles) of the border. While officials do not expect the flames to cross the border, the town advised residents in three of its districts to evacuate temporarily due to heavy smoke.

The disaster unfolded as Belgium endured another burst of severe heat, with temperatures reaching roughly 37C (98.6F) in some areas on Friday, following weeks of scarce rainfall. Like other parts of Europe, Belgium is experiencing a summer of repeated heatwaves. On Thursday, weather agencies recorded temperatures above 35C (95F) across several European countries, and the United Kingdom experienced its hottest day of the year when west London hit 38.1C (100.5F).

These extreme temperatures have frequently sparked fires. Thousands of residents have been forced from their homes in Germany, France, the UK, Croatia, and Greece in recent days, contributing to roughly 500,000 hectares (about 1.24 million acres) burned across the European Union this year.