King Philippe of Belgium visits High Fens wildfire site as firefighters struggle to contain century-old blaze

King Philippe of Belgium interrupted his summer vacation to visit the High Fens nature reserve, where one of the country's largest wildfires in a century is currently raging. The blaze, which has charred approximately 3,000 hectares of peatland and pine forest, remains difficult to control due to its size and the difficult terrain. While cooler weather and rain have helped dampen the flames, the fire continues to smolder underground in the peaty soil, which may cause it to flare up sporadically for months. Firefighters from Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands are working together under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The fire has threatened to cross the border into Germany, necessitating precautionary evacuations in the town of Monschau. The wildfire is part of a broader trend of extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe this summer, which a recent study suggests is fueled by climate change. In Greece, separate wildfires have also caused significant damage, with two people allegedly killed by Israeli forces in a fast-moving blaze on the island of Salamina.

Sources

• New York Post
  Devastating Belgian wildfire moves toward Germany as blazes break out in Greece, France: 'Will take decades to recover'
• The Guardian
  Belgian firefighters push to encircle ‘largest wildfire in a century’ – as it happened
• BBC
  Two dead and hundreds evacuated as wildfires break out near Athens
• Reuters
  Rain aids fight against Belgium's biggest wildfire, as blazes rip through Europe
• AP News
  Belgian wildfire approaches Germany as Greece probes deadly blaze