Belgian firefighters push to 'encircle' fire in nature reserve

Firefighters in Belgium are making a determined effort to encircle the country's largest wildfire in a century, even as wind and rain complicate air support operations in the High Fens nature reserve. The blaze has scorched a staggering 3,000 hectares of peatlands, pine trees and hiking trails, making it roughly the size of Manhattan.

Regional government spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux confirmed that firefighters are working to encircle the fire today, with success expected in a matter of kilometers. However, a hard-to-reach section near the German border remains a concern, with residents in the border town of Monschau already under evacuation orders due to smoke.

Despite sustained winds and low cloud cover that have grounded water-bombing aircraft from several countries, efforts continue. The smoke has blanketed a large area, reaching as far as eastern France, where air pollution alerts have been issued. Belgium has been gripped by weeks of devastating wildfires, with similar fires raging in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

The High Fens fire, which broke out in an area ravaged by massive fires in 1911, is the country's largest since that period. While the fire is under control in some areas, Belgium's interior minister Bernard Quintin warned that it could take several weeks of soaking and dousing to prevent reignition. Firefighters face significant challenges due to the terrain, which includes heath, peat bogs and raised wooden boardwalks, as well as the need for aerial assistance.

Local farmers are also contributing to the effort, working shifts to oversee tankers of water from a nearby lake.