Fire in Belgium No Longer Spreading Toward Germany

17.08.2026 13:01 HotInfo

A large forest fire in the protected Hautes Fagnes area in eastern Belgium was no longer spreading toward the German border on Monday, August 17 morning, according to firefighters. The flames affected approximately 3,000 hectares and according to available information, it is the largest forest fire in Belgian history. seznamzpravy.cz ↗

The situation had been serious in the previous hours especially due to strong wind and difficult-to-access terrain. The fire approached the border with Germany and threatened the area near Monschau in the Eifel region. On the German side, according to local information, the flames reached approximately 300 meters from evacuated buildings. Rescue services therefore protected surrounding houses and sprayed meadows with water. Tagesspiegel ↗

On the Belgian side, two villages were evacuated and residents were instructed not to return for the time being. The fire hit Belgium's largest nature reserve and its extent increased significantly during its spread. Firefighters were aided during the night and Monday morning by more favorable conditions, particularly lighter rain and calming winds.

Further developments will depend on the weather and the ability of response teams to keep the fire under control in inaccessible terrain. Authorities continue to address the protection of inhabited areas near the border and the return of evacuated residents will only be possible after the security situation improves.

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