Firefighters were in a fierce battle against a massive wildfire that ravaged a nature reserve in eastern Belgium and another on a Greek island near Athens. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives as scorching temperatures and dry conditions fueled fires across various parts of Europe.
In eastern Belgium, a wildfire consumed approximately 30 square kilometers in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes), marking one of the country’s most severe wildfires in recent memory. Approximately 600 residents in the neighboring municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach, located near the German border in Liège province, were instructed to evacuate as winds changed direction, spreading smoke throughout the area. Authorities advised tourists to depart, and a nearby gymnasium was opened to accommodate evacuees.
Hervé Jamar, the provincial governor of Liège, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that over 250 emergency personnel had been mobilized, including more than 100 Belgian and German firefighters, along with police, military officers, and civil protection staff. Additionally, firefighting helicopters operated by Belgium’s federal police and the Netherlands provided assistance.
Meanwhile, in Greece, the coast guard reported that an elderly couple perished outside their residence on the island of Salamina, situated west of Athens where a fire ignited. Over 500 individuals were rescued from the island. The fire erupted during Greece’s peak summer holiday weekend around the Aug. 15 Assumption holiday, drawing numerous Athenians to nearby islands like Salamina, easily accessible from Piraeus, the capital’s primary port.
The blazes led to property damage, with reports indicating that five people received medical attention at a local clinic. Efforts to contain the fires involved about 192 firefighters, 14 aircraft, helicopters, volunteer crews, and municipal water tankers. Coast guard and firefighting vessels were dispatched to the island, with preparations made for potential sea evacuations from coastal areas at risk.
Belgium’s ongoing wildfire has surpassed a 2011 blaze that scorched nearly 14 square kilometers in the same region, previously holding the record as the country’s largest wildfire, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System. Nicolas Yernaux, a spokesperson for the Public Service of Wallonia, highlighted that conditions were notably severe this time due to extremely dry soil.
René Dahmen, the chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forests, noted on Sunday that the fire continued to spread in an area challenging for crews to access. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin confirmed that firefighters successfully prevented the blaze from advancing westward toward the German town of Monschau.
European countries responded by sending firefighting aircraft to assist Belgium. Sweden dispatched two water-bombing aircraft, while three helicopters, including two from the Netherlands and one from the Czech Republic, were also deployed to aid in the firefighting efforts.
The wildfires across Europe have been exacerbated by weeks of unusually hot and arid weather. The unique landscape of the High Fens, characterized by heathland and peat bogs, has complicated firefighting operations. Belgium experienced another wave of intense heat, with temperatures reaching around 37°C in certain areas on Friday.
In France, authorities revealed that firefighters had managed a wildfire in a pine forest in the Landes region, estimating the burned area at 17 square kilometers. In the UK, emergency crews tackled 14 wildfires in South Wales with military support, while in Germany, firefighters made significant headway in containing a wildfire in the Hürtgen Forest, allowing evacuated residents to return home.
