A massive wildfire in Belgium continued to burn uncontrollably on Monday, despite cooler weather and rain providing some relief to firefighters. In Greece, a fire near the main airport on the outskirts of Athens briefly flared up.
The Belgian wildfire, located in peaty soil, could persist for months underground and sporadically reignite, warned a fire ranger. This relentless fire outbreak is occurring amidst Europe facing one of its hottest and driest summers on record, attributed to climate change.
King Philippe of Belgium interrupted his summer vacation to visit the emergency services battling the wildfire in the eastern High Fens region, about eight kilometers from the German border. The fire has scorched an estimated 30 square kilometers, leaving behind charred trees and smoldering ground.
Despite not significantly enlarging, the fire remains uncontained in inaccessible areas, according to the Wallonia region. Over 500 firefighters, along with aerial support from several European countries and local police deploying drones, are battling the blaze following a cold front that brought overnight rain.
Fire crews have been at work trying to beat back blazes across Europe this week, including in parts of Croatia, Greece and Italy. A fire in the coastal Croatian town of Omiš forced people out of their homes, as EU officials noted extreme wildfire conditions will linger across the continent.
Local farmers are assisting with water supply for firefighting efforts. Helicopters are dropping large amounts of water over the flames as smoke continues to rise from the forested areas.
Nicolas Yernaux, the spokesperson for the Wallonia regional public services, stated that while the blaze was contained near firefighters, an inaccessible area still burns towards Monschau in Germany. Overnight rains aided in controlling the fire but did not significantly impact the central burning area.
A forest ranger, Yves Pieper, explained to The Associated Press that the fire could persist underground for months due to the peaty soil, with flames potentially reappearing nearby. Precautionary evacuations remain in place for hundreds of residents.
Hugues Guyvot, a veterinarian involved in animal rescue, noted that while larger animals could escape, smaller creatures like frogs and mice may have perished underground in the peat bogs. The recovery from this devastating fire could take decades, he added.
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