Belgian wildfire spreads to 2,000 hectares, threatening German cities

The border between Belgium and Germany has witnessed a dangerous escalation of forest fires in recent hours, prompting authorities in both countries to take measures including calls for evacuation.

The city, located near the border in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, asked residents of several residential communities on Saturday evening to prepare for possible evacuation due to another forest fire that broke out in the nearby Hohenwein region of neighboring Belgium.

The city explained via Facebook and Instagram that the affected areas are Reutzhof, Leiloch, Weinhof, Hauss-Sonnetau, Platteven, and Gaisburg. City authorities stated that they have asked residents of these areas to stay with relatives or friends, if possible, and indicated that preparations are underway to establish emergency shelters. The authorities clarified that this is initially a precautionary measure. On the Belgian side, the evacuation of residents from the towns of Kochelscheid and Laekaul began today.

The forest fire that broke out in Belgium near the German border has now spread to an area of ​​approximately 2,000 hectares, according to the Belgian news agency Belga, citing the local government. For comparison, data from the province of Duren indicates that the fire in the Hürtgen forest in Germany affected approximately 300 hectares of forest. Media outlets, including the Belgian public broadcaster RTBF, quoted local politicians describing the fire as "the biggest fire Belgium has ever seen." Belgium had earlier in the day requested assistance from other EU countries.

According to local authorities, German firefighters are also participating in the firefighting efforts. Additional helicopters and aircraft have been mobilized from the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the Netherlands, as reported by EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hajja Lahbib, on the X platform. Belga reported that around 600 people in two Belgian towns were ordered to evacuate their homes due to the rapid spread of the fire, changing wind directions, and thick smoke. The fire broke out on Friday afternoon.