Firefighters were engaged in combatting a large wildfire that ravaged a nature reserve in eastern Belgium and another on a Greek island near Athens. The fires resulted in two fatalities on Sunday due to the hot and dry conditions that were contributing to wildfires across various parts of Europe.
In Belgium, a fire consumed approximately 30 square kilometers in the High Fens, a significant nature reserve, marking one of the most severe wildfires in recent memory for the country. Around 600 residents in the nearby towns of Waimes and Bütgenbach, situated in Liège province near the German border, were instructed to evacuate as the winds shifted and smoke engulfed the area. Tourists were also advised to vacate, with a local gymnasium set up to accommodate evacuees.
Hervé Jamar, the provincial governor of Liège, disclosed that more than 250 emergency responders were on the scene, including over 100 firefighters from Belgium and Germany, as well as police, military personnel, and civil protection teams. Firefighting helicopters operated by Belgium’s federal police and the Netherlands were also deployed to assist in extinguishing the flames.
On the Greek island of Salamina, the coast guard reported the tragic deaths of an elderly couple outside their residence, close to where a fire erupted. Over 500 individuals were rescued from the island. The blaze coincided with Greece’s peak summer holiday weekend surrounding the Aug. 15 Assumption holiday, attracting many Athenians to nearby islands like Salamina, which is easily accessible from the capital’s main port of Piraeus.
In response to the wildfires, a substantial firefighting contingent comprising about 192 firefighters, 14 aircraft and helicopters, volunteer teams, and municipal water tankers was mobilized. Coast guard and firefighting vessels were dispatched to Salamina, with contingency plans in place for potential sea evacuations from vulnerable coastal regions. Salamina remained under a high wildfire threat warning, with the cause of the fires yet to be determined.
The wildfire in Belgium has eclipsed a 2011 fire that burned nearly 14 square kilometers in the same vicinity, which was previously the largest wildfire on record in the country. Nicolas Yernaux, a representative from the Public Service of Wallonia, highlighted the aggravated conditions this time around, emphasizing the extremely dry soil as a significant challenge.
René Dahmen, chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forests, noted the ongoing spread of the fire in challenging terrain on Sunday. Efforts were focused on preventing the fire from advancing towards a municipal forest, representing a top priority for the response teams.
In a collaborative effort, Belgium engaged the European Union’s civil protection mechanism to receive support from other nations. Sweden dispatched two water-bombing aircraft, while three helicopters, including two from the Netherlands and one from the Czech Republic, were also deployed to aid in firefighting operations.
The wildfires were exacerbated by weeks of abnormal heat and dry conditions. The unique landscape of the High Fens, characterized by heathland and peat bogs, posed challenges to containment efforts. Belgium experienced another wave of intense heat during the week, with temperatures reaching approximately 37 degrees Celsius in some areas on Friday.
In France, authorities reported progress in containing a wildfire in the Landes region, with no significant flare-ups overnight. Meanwhile, the UK battled multiple wildfires, with emergency crews supported by military personnel in South Wales. Drought conditions persisted in the UK, heightening the wildfire risk despite the easing heatwave conditions. Germany also made headway against a wildfire in the Hürtgen Forest, allowing evacuated residents to return home as containment measures were successful in preventing further spread of the fire.