EU sends aircraft and villagers evacuate as Belgium battles record wildfire

Belgium is confronting its largest wildfire on record, which has ravaged approximately 2,700 hectares in the eastern High Fens nature reserve, close to the German border. The European Union intervened on Saturday by deploying three helicopters and two water bombers, alongside additional firefighters, to attempt to contain the extensive blaze.

Authorities ordered around 600 residents from areas of Waimes, Sourbrodt, and Buetgenbach to evacuate due to shifting winds and dense smoke, which raised fears that the fire might approach houses. Tourists were also urged to leave the vicinity. Restaurant owner David Rodolfs in Waimes expressed concern, saying, "You can't see a thing anymore, there's smoke everywhere."

The wildfire erupted on Friday and has swiftly spread across peatlands and pine forests, heightening the urgency of firefighting efforts. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed shock at the fire's rapid progression and the extent of destruction. Nicolas Yernaux, a regional authorities spokesperson, noted the significant risk to homes but emphasized the deployment of all available resources to safeguard them.

The challenging terrain has impeded firefighting operations, prompting reliance on aerial resources and forcing firefighters to permit areas difficult to reach to burn. Belgium invoked the EU's civil protection mechanism, summoning three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft from the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

Firefighters from Germany and Luxembourg have also joined the response, and farmers have assisted by dampening the area.

Belgium has endured another period of extreme heat this week, with temperatures soaring to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) in certain regions. Scientists attribute this to human-induced climate change, which is heightening the probability of hot and dry conditions that expedite and prolong wildfires. European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib described the blaze as evidence of the "climate upheaval" impacting the continent, stating, "Never before has the wildfire season started so early in the year and reached such northern latitudes."

The fire is situated just over the border from a major conflagration in western Germany, forcing over 2,000 residents to flee their homes.