Germany: Firefighters say Eifel wildfire now under control
Firefighters in Germany say they have gained the upper hand in a fire that blazed for days in the Hürtgen Forest. More than 2,000 residents were forced from their homes by the flames and smoke. Follow DW for the latest.
Germany's Eifel region was hit by a major wildfire on August 15-16. The fire forced the evacuation of over 2,000 residents from the village of Gey, located near the Belgian border. North Rhine-Westphalia's regional leader Hendrik Wüst expressed optimism that residents could return home soon, as the situation appeared to be stabilizing.
Firefighters from 1,400 personnel managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. The fire, considered the largest in the state's history, covered at least 200 hectares and posed a significant risk due to hidden ordnance from World War II. Five people, including four rescue workers, sustained injuries during the firefighting efforts.
The state premier cut his vacation short and is expected to arrive on site on Saturday. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and have appealed for public information, particularly photographs or videos from the area.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
