Firefighters in Europe are confronting several wildfires, notably in eastern Belgium and on the Greek island of Salamina. Hot and dry conditions have intensified these blazes across the continent.
Belgium’s Nature Reserve Blaze
A significant wildfire in Belgium’s High Fens nature reserve has burned approximately 30 square kilometers. This is one of the most severe wildfires in Belgium’s recent history.
Around 600 residents in Waimes and Bütgenbach, located in Liège province near the German border, evacuated on Saturday. Shifted winds carried smoke in their direction. Authorities also encouraged tourists to vacate the area, while a gymnasium was prepared for evacuees.
Liège provincial governor Hervé Jamar stated that over 250 emergency personnel, including Belgian and German firefighters, police, military officers, and civil protection staff, have been deployed. Belgian federal police and the Netherlands provided firefighting helicopters.
Fatalities in Greece
On the island of Salamina, located west of Athens, two individuals lost their lives to a wildfire. The rapid spread of the blaze, intensified by strong winds, led to the evacuation of approximately 500 beachgoers by firefighting and coast guard vessels.
Greece had placed the island on high wildfire alert, with near gale-force winds contributing to the fire’s quick expansion, according to Fire Brigadier General Vasileios Vathrakogiannis. Around 260 firefighters responded to multiple fires on the island.
Challenges in Belgium
The current blaze in Belgium has far surpassed a 2011 fire, which was previously the largest on record according to the European Forest Fire Information System. Public Service of Wallonia spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux noted that current conditions are worse due to extremely dry soil.
René Dahmen, a chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forest, mentioned that the fire is spreading in a challenging-to-access area. “On the eastern flank, there is at least a kilometer-long line where the fire is advancing,” Dahmen stated.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin announced that firefighters managed to prevent the fire from progressing westward and towards the German town of Monschau. German authorities warned that the fire was roughly 1.5 kilometers from the border. Farmers from Belgium and Germany utilized tankers to aid firefighters by transporting water from nearby lakes.
European Assistance
Belgium requested aid through the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib confirmed receiving assistance offers. Sweden dispatched two water-bombing aircraft, while the Netherlands and Czech Republic sent helicopters.
Unusual heat and dry weather precede the fire, with temperatures nearing 37 C in parts of Belgium. The High Fens’ mixture of heathland and peat bogs hinder efforts to control the flames.
Other Wildfires Across Europe
France continues to battle a wildfire in the Landes region without significant overnight flare-ups. Authorities reported a burned area of 17 square kilometers and the evacuation of about 650 people. This is the third significant wildfire in southwestern France this summer.
In the UK, emergency crews combat 14 wildfires in South Wales, supported by military personnel. Despite easing temperatures, drought conditions pose a persistent wildfire risk. Recently, homes in West Midlands were destroyed in temperatures reaching 38.1 C.
In Germany, fires in the Hürtgen Forest have been largely controlled, allowing around 2,000 evacuees to return home. Crews have established a cordon to prevent further spread.
Corbet contributed this report from Paris. Other Associated Press writers, including Sylvia Hui in London, Geir Moulson in Berlin, and Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, also contributed.
Leave a Reply