Belgian wildfire prompts evacuation call in German border town
The flames are currently not expected to reach German territory, but authorities are preparing for 'severe air pollution due to smoke'.
A wildfire of historic proportions has ignited in Belgium, prompting Monschau, a town on Germany's border, to call for the evacuation of some of its residents. The blaze's front is currently situated 1.5km from the Germany-Belgium border and a mere 1.8km from the nearest inhabited area, as reported by AFP. The town of Monschau has noted that while the flames have not reached German soil, residents can anticipate severe air pollution due to the smoke.
Consequently, the municipality has decided to recommend that individuals residing near the border relocate to safer zones. With a population of 12,000, the municipality has already orchestrated the evacuation of the settlement of Kuechelscheid, which is a 10-minute drive from Monschau. As a result of this wildfire, approximately 1,800 people were evacuated in western Germany overnight on Thursday and Friday.
This incident is one of many wildfires that have swept across a parched and drought-stricken Europe this summer.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today'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.
- Farmers, helicopters help battle record Belgian wildfire dawn.com
- Belgian wildfire prompts evacuation call in German border town freemalaysiatoday.com
