Villagers evacuate as Belgium battles record wildfire

Hundreds of villagers were ordered to evacuate in eastern Belgium as firefighters battled one of the country's worst wildfires, which broke out Friday in the High Fens park near the German border. The blaze quickly spread, turning vast areas of nature reserve into a scorched wasteland. Over 2,700 hectares (6,700 acres) of land had been burned by Saturday, up from just 80 hectares the previous day.

Firefighters struggled to tackle the fire due to the rugged terrain of the region, which consists of heath, peat bogs and raised wooden boardwalks. Reinforcements were pulled from across Belgium and reinforcements were dispatched from across the EU, with helicopters and water bombers flying in from various countries. The fire's intensity and location have been attributed to the extreme heatwaves and drought conditions experienced in the region.

Authorities warned that the fire was not under control and could potentially reach homes, urging residents to remain indoors and keep doors and windows closed. Belgian firefighters received assistance from Dutch and Swedish aerial resources, who were already on site. The incident is being described as a result of "climate upheaval," with European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib emphasizing that the wildfire season is starting earlier and reaching northern latitudes at an unprecedented rate.