Belgian officials lift evacuation orders in wildfire zone

Firefighters successfully extinguished numerous flare-ups overnight in Belgium's massive High Fens wildfire, officials stated on Thursday. The intense effort continued for a seventh day, even as dangerous conditions persisted on the site. Strong winds swept through southeastern Belgium on Wednesday night, uprooting trees and causing a mini-tornado to partially destroy a house in Bullange, a town near the nature reserve.

Local authorities reported that while fire crews worked tirelessly all night, they faced significant obstacles such as poor visibility, downed trees, mud, and challenging trails. The blaze, now the country's largest since 1911, smoldered underground in the peaty soil near the German border. Despite deploying around 200 firefighters, the team seemed to be making headway against Belgium's biggest wildfire in a century.

Evacuation orders were lifted in the affected border region, and Germany's contingent of firefighters, including volunteers, were set to return home on Thursday, maintaining the overall number of personnel. A helicopter reconnaissance mission was planned to determine priorities for the next phase of the battle, with improved weather expected to enable substantial air support.

On-site operations were hampered by the rugged terrain of the High Fens, which consists of heath, peat bogs, and wooden boardwalks. Aircraft from Norway, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands initially struggled to operate due to low-hanging clouds, but resumed water drops on Wednesday. Europe has witnessed a series of devastating wildfires this summer, fueled by dry conditions and a hot summer season, affecting countries like France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.

The High Fens fire expanded to the size of Manhattan (3,000 hectares) over the weekend, burning peatland, pine trees, and hiking trails. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, but it was ignited in an area that experienced massive fires in 1911 during a heatwave. Officials warned that even after the blaze is under control, it could take weeks or months of soaking and dousing to prevent it from reigniting.