Belgian Wildfire Crisis

What happened

The outlets' own sentences, most widely reported first. Hover or tap one to see who reported it.

Analysis

How it changed

1. 16 Aug

   Firefighters are battling Belgium’s largest wildfire on record as it burns through the High Fens nature reserve near the German border on Sunday.

   3 outlets · Al Jazeera
2. 18 Aug

   “We are trying to definitively encircle the fire today,” regional government spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux told AFP.

   2 outlets · The Straits Times

Coverage 6 articles

• 19 Aug Belgium wildfire: Rains help High Fens containment effortsBelgian firefighters are trying to encircle and contain a large wildfire in the High Fens nature reserve, which has expanded to cover around 3,000 hectares. Regional government spokesman Niolas Yernaux said that while the fire is "under control and contained" in some areas, the front stretching towards the German border remains a concern due to difficult access conditions. Firefighters are working around the clock…Deutsche Welle
• 18 Aug Wildfires: Belgium battles blaze, France's Lecornu jeeredFires are burning across several European countries on Monday due to hot and dry weather. According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System, 576,000 hectares (2,225 square miles) of land have been burnt out so far this year, which is an area twice the size of Luxembourg. In Belgium, a massive wildfire in the High Fens park has destroyed approximately 3,000 hectares of land and prompted King Philippe…Deutsche Welle
• 18 Aug Belgian wildfire approaches Germany despite rain as Greece probes deadly blazeA wildfire in Liège province, Belgium has burned an estimated 30 square kilometres, with cooler weather and rain easing conditions for firefighters despite still being out of control in inaccessible areas. The fire is approaching Germany, with precautionary evacuation orders remaining in effect for hundreds of residents near the border. In Greece, a separate fire briefly flared up near Athens' main airport on…CBC
• 18 Aug Firefighters push to ‘encircle’ Belgian wildfireFirefighters in Belgium launched a push on August 18 to encircle the country's largest wildfire in over a century, which has grown to 3,000ha (7,500 acres) in size, roughly half the area of Manhattan. The fire is being fought by hundreds of firefighters and aided by water-bombing aircraft from several countries, including Norway, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Regional government spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux…The Straits Times
• 16 Aug Belgium’s largest wildfire on record spreads towards German borderFirefighters are battling Belgium's largest wildfire on record, which has spread to over 27sq km near the German border in the High Fens nature reserve. The fire broke out on Friday and is being contained by a team of over 250 emergency services personnel from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. About 600 people were forced to leave their homes in two Belgian municipalities due to the fire and smoke…Al Jazeera
• 16 Aug Firefighters battle wildfire tearing through Belgian nature reserveFirefighters from Belgium and several European countries are battling a large wildfire in the country's High Fens nature reserve, which is described as its worst in recent history. The fire has consumed a third of the reserve and poses a risk to nearby homes, with 650 residents evacuated so far. Water-bombing aircraft and helicopters have been deployed from across Europe to aid local firefighters, who are hampered…BBC

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