Belgium races to tame huge wildfire creeping towards Germany
BAELEN: Water-bombing aircraft and farmers’ tractors joined forces Sunday to help firefighters tame Belgium’s largest modern-day wildfire, which has scorched vast swathes of a hard-to-reach nature reserve near the German border.
Belgium is fighting a massive wildfire that has spread to 3,000 hectares near the German border, threatening to cross into Germany. The High Fens nature reserve, known for its peatlands and pine forests, has been badly hit. Firefighters, including Belgian farmers with tractors, are battling the blaze using water-bombing aircraft from the Netherlands.
Monschau, a German town, ordered two streets to evacuate due to the fire and smoke. Belgian authorities warn that if the fire isn't contained, it could spill over into Germany. The fire has caused air pollution alerts in eastern France. About 20 people spent the night in a local sports hall after a partial evacuation. Despite the challenges posed by the boggy terrain, authorities say the defensive line is holding and no homes have been affected yet.
Belgium, like much of Europe, is experiencing intense heat and drought, making wildfires more likely.
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