Hundreds evacuated as Belgium battles massive wildfire near German border

A large wildfire raging in eastern Belgium has spread to within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of the German border, forcing the evacuation of around 600 residents and prompting warnings about dangerous smoke levels spreading into Germany.

Scale of the blaze

The fire, which broke out on Friday, has swept rapidly across peatlands and pine forests in the Waimes, Sourbrodt and Buetgenbach areas of the Wallonia region. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described himself as shocked at the fire's speed and extent, telling AFP the situation required all available resources.

Smoke spreading toward Germany prompted authorities there to warn residents of potential evacuations and urge people to stay indoors. A restaurant owner in Waimes, David Rodolfs, told AFP: "You can't see a thing anymore, there's smoke everywhere."

Evacuation and response

About 600 residents were ordered to leave their homes in the affected communities. Tourists were also instructed to evacuate. A gymnasium in a neighboring municipality was opened to provide shelter for displaced residents.

Difficult terrain has hampered ground firefighting efforts, with operations relying heavily on aerial resources. Firefighters have been forced to allow some hard-to-reach areas to burn while protecting inhabited zones.

International support

Belgium activated the European Union's civil protection mechanism, which brought in three helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands. Firefighters from Germany and Luxembourg have joined the response, and local farmers have helped by wetting down surrounding areas.

Nicolas Yernaux, a spokesperson for Wallonia regional authorities, said there is a risk the fire could reach homes but stressed that all resources are being deployed to prevent that. The EU had already pre-positioned aerial support on Saturday as conditions deteriorated.