Firefighters were engaged in combatting a massive wildfire that swept through a nature reserve in eastern Belgium and another on a Greek island close to Athens, resulting in two fatalities on Sunday due to hot and dry weather conditions igniting fires in various parts of Europe.
The wildfire in eastern Belgium ravaged approximately 30 square kilometers in the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes), marking one of the most severe wildfires in recent memory in the country. Concerns arose as winds shifted and smoke permeated the nearby municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach, prompting around 600 residents to evacuate. Tourists were also advised to leave the area, with a local gymnasium prepared to accommodate evacuees.
Hervé Jamar, the provincial governor of Liège, declared that over 250 emergency personnel, including more than 100 Belgian and German firefighters, as well as police, military officers, and civil protection staff, were mobilized to combat the blaze. Additionally, firefighting helicopters from Belgium’s federal police and the Netherlands provided support.
In Greece, tragic news emerged as the coast guard confirmed the death of an elderly couple outside their residence on Salamina Island, near Athens, where a fire originated. The blaze erupted during the peak summer weekend around the Assumption holiday, drawing many Athenians to nearby islands like Salamina. Houses sustained damage, and reports indicated that five individuals were transported to a health clinic.
Efforts to contain the wildfires involved deploying about 192 firefighters, 14 aircraft and helicopters, volunteer teams, and municipal water tankers. The coast guard and firefighting vessels were dispatched to Salamina, with contingency plans made for potential sea evacuations from vulnerable coastal zones. Salamina remained under a high wildfire risk alert, with the cause of the fires yet to be determined.
The wildfire in Belgium has surpassed the previous record set in 2011, scorching nearly 14 square kilometers in the same region. Nicolas Yernaux, a representative of the Public Service of Wallonia, noted the aggravated conditions this time, citing extremely dry soil as a significant challenge for containment efforts.
René Dahmen, chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forests, reported on Sunday that the fire continued to spread in a hard-to-access area, emphasizing the urgency of preventing it from encroaching on a municipal forest. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin commended firefighters for preventing the fire from advancing toward the west and the German town of Monschau.
European countries rallied to provide assistance, with Belgium activating the EU’s civil protection mechanism to receive aid from other nations. Various firefighting aircraft were deployed, including two water-bombing planes from Sweden and three helicopters from the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.
The wildfires across Europe unfolded amid weeks of extreme heat and dry conditions, complicating containment efforts in the High Fens due to the region’s heathland and peat bogs. Belgium experienced another wave of intense heat, with temperatures reaching around 37°C in some areas on Friday.
In France, firefighters managed a wildfire in the Landes region without significant flare-ups overnight, with authorities estimating the burned area at 17 square kilometers and evacuating approximately 650 people. Meanwhile, the UK and Germany grappled with multiple wildfires, with emergency crews battling blazes in South Wales and the Hürtgen Forest, respectively.