Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Belgium's largest wildfire burns High Fens, forces evacuations
A very big fire is burning in the High Fens, a nature reserve in eastern Belgium with forests, heathland, and peat bogs.
The fire started on Friday afternoon, and nobody knows yet what caused it.
Officials say it is the biggest fire in Belgium's history.
By Sunday morning, it had burned about 3,000 hectares, which is a huge area.
Around 600 people had to leave their homes and could not go back yet.
Firefighters from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands are helping, and helicopters are dropping water on the flames.
Special firefighting trucks from the Belgian army joined the work, too.
The weather is very hot and dry, which makes fires like this more likely.
Some roads are closed, and people who live nearby were told to stay inside and keep their windows shut.
Everyone is working hard to stop the fire and keep homes safe.
A massive wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve has burned about 3,000 hectares by Sunday morning, making it the largest blaze on record in the country.
Around 600 residents were evacuated from parts of Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach and remained unable to return home as of Sunday.
The fire broke out shortly after 1 pm Friday near the Drossart roundabout in Baelen, Liege province; the cause remains unknown.
Belgium activated the EU civil protection mechanism, with helicopters from the Netherlands, Sweden, and Belgium, plus three Panther vehicles from the Belgian Defence Ministry, supporting operations.
The fire remained out of control by Saturday evening, with several hotspots still active on Sunday morning and smoke spreading about 80 km into Namur and Luxembourg provinces.
- Who
- Firefighters and emergency personnel from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, supported by military and aerial units; officials including Liege Governor Herve Jamar, Baelen Mayor Nathalie Thonnissen, Wallonia spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
- What
- A large wildfire burned through the High Fens nature reserve, scorching about 3,000 hectares by Sunday morning, forcing around 600 people to evacuate, and remaining out of control with several hotspots still active.
- When
- The fire broke out shortly after 1 pm on Friday and remained out of control by Saturday evening, with several hotspots still active on Sunday morning.
- Where
- The High Fens nature reserve in Baelen municipality, Liege province, eastern Belgium, near the German border.
- Why
- The cause is unknown, but extreme heat and drought - Belgium is enduring its third summer heatwave with temperatures around 37°C, and the Copernicus Climate Change Service says western Europe had its hottest June-July on record - have increased wildfire risk.
Concern over growing wildfire threat
Focus on immediate firefighting response
Cause of the fire
Concern over growing wildfire threat
The cause remains unknown, but extreme heat and drought are increasing wildfire risk across Europe.
Focus on immediate firefighting response
The immediate priority is containing the blaze and protecting homes; the cause is still under investigation.
Scale of the fire
Concern over growing wildfire threat
The fire is the largest in Belgium's modern history, raising concerns about the growing wildfire threat.
Focus on immediate firefighting response
The estimate of about 3,000 hectares could be refined later once helicopters and drones survey the area.
- Area burned
- About 900 hectares as of Saturday morning; at least 20 square kilometres by Saturday evening; about 3,000 hectares by Sunday morning - reports differ
- Location
- High Fens nature reserve, Baelen municipality, Liege province, eastern Belgium, near the German border
- Cause
- Unknown
- Status
- Out of control as of Saturday evening; several hotspots still active Sunday morning; described as the largest wildfire in Belgium's modern history
- Evacuations
- Around 600 people evacuated from parts of Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach; none had been reported as of Saturday morning
- Firefighting resources
- EU civil protection mechanism activated; Dutch and Swedish aircraft, two Belgian federal police helicopters, two Dutch Chinook helicopters with Bambi Buckets, three Panther vehicles from the Belgian Defence Ministry; more than 250 personnel worked overnight
- Climate and regional context
- Around 37°C on Friday during Belgium's third summer heatwave; hottest June-July on record in western Europe (Copernicus Climate Change Service); more than 568,000 hectares burned across the EU as of August 13 (European Forest Fire Information System); a separate German wildfire led to about 1,800 evacuations
- Earlier major fires
- Reports differ: one article cites a 2011 fire that burned more than 1,300 hectares; another cites devastating fires in 1911
