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Belgian firefighters battle blaze tearing through nature reserve
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- A major wildfire has been burning since Thursday in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve, described as the country's worst in recent history, with a third of the reserve consumed by flames.
- Authorities ordered evacuations of two nearby villages due to the risk of the fire reaching homes, and a gymnasium was opened to shelter evacuees.
- Over 500 firefighters, supported by water-bombing aircraft and helicopters from Sweden, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, are battling the blaze amid challenging terrain and weather conditions.
- The fire remains out of control as of Saturday afternoon, with firefighters allowing some areas to burn due to difficult access and shifting winds complicating containment efforts.
- This wildfire is part of a broader pattern of forest fires across Europe, including in France, Croatia, Spain, and Serbia, following a summer of extreme heat and dry conditions.
