RAIN HELPS CREWS FIGHT BELGIUM’S LARGEST WILDFIRE

Developing story: Burn area, weather, evacuation status, containment and EU assistance may change as fire authorities update conditions.

Rainfall brought new hope Monday to firefighters battling Belgium’s largest wildfire on record, after days of flames across the High Fens region near the German border. Reuters reported that the blaze had burned about 3,000 hectares of moorland, peat and woods, far surpassing Belgium’s previous record-breaking fire in 2011.

The fire has drawn a major emergency response. Reuters reported that about 500 firefighters from Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg, joined by farmers and the army, have been battling the blaze. The European Union deployed three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft after Belgium requested emergency reinforcements.

The High Fens fire matters because it shows how Europe’s wildfire risk is no longer confined to the Mediterranean. Northern and western European landscapes that once faced more limited fire seasons are now confronting hotter, drier summers that leave vegetation combustible and firefighting systems stretched.

Europe’s broader fire season has been severe. Reuters cited European Forest Fire Information System data showing that fires have burned 576,000 hectares across Europe this year, an area twice the size of Luxembourg. Successive severe heatwaves and drought have intensified the risk, with fires also affecting Spain, France, Greece and other countries.

Rain can help slow a fire, but it does not end the emergency by itself. Peat and moorland fires can burn deep into soil and vegetation, making them difficult to extinguish fully. Fire crews must still monitor hot spots, prevent reignition and protect nearby communities and ecological areas.

The Belgian case also shows the importance of cross-border assistance. Fires near national borders can require aircraft, crews, water access and command coordination across jurisdictions. EU civil-protection mechanisms are increasingly central as multiple countries face fire emergencies at the same time.

The environmental cost may be long-lasting. Protected wetlands, peatlands and moor ecosystems store carbon, support biodiversity and regulate water. When those systems burn, damage can extend beyond the visible charred area, affecting soil, wildlife and future flood or drought resilience.

What is confirmed is that Belgium’s record wildfire has burned about 3,000 hectares and that rain has aided crews after EU support was deployed. What remains unresolved is how quickly the fire can be contained, whether it crosses or threatens the German border again, and what long-term ecological damage the High Fens will sustain.

Fact-check date: August 17, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters; Associated Press. Developing note: Burn area, weather, evacuation status, containment and EU assistance may change as fire authorities update conditions.