A wildfire in Belgium’s High Fens nature reserve slowed overnight after light rain and a favourable wind shift, easing pressure on nearby German communities.
“At the moment, we do not assume that the fire will cross into German territory,” Franz-Karl Boden, deputy to the mayor of Monschau, told local media on Monday, adding that firefighting operations would continue.
The local fire department called the weather change a temporary reprieve but stressed that the fire is far from extinguished.
“The rain overnight was very effective. The wind also turned in the right direction. The situation is easing for the moment, but the fire is definitely still burning,” Michael Nellessen, deputy head of the Monschau fire brigade, told the Bild newspaper.
Hotspots continue to smoulder in the peat, he warned. “Especially in the peat, it is still glowing. Our Belgian colleagues will have to deal with this for days. Whether the people we had to evacuate can soon return to their homes, we will discuss in the next few hours.”
On Sunday, German officials reported the fire was burning roughly 300 metres (about 1,000 feet) from the nearest residential buildings on the German side. As a precaution, authorities evacuated houses in nearby villages close to the border.
Belgian officials have called the High Fens blaze one of the most significant wildfires the country has faced. Firefighting is complicated by the terrain – peat covered with grass that can allow flames to spread quickly on the surface while burning underground for extended periods, Belgian authorities told local media.
