Wildfires rage across Belgium, Greece, France and Spain as evacuations and deaths mount
Belgium is battling what is believed to be the largest wildfire in its modern history, with flames burning through the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve near the German border. The fire has been active since Friday afternoon and has already scorched more than 3,000 hectares, according to provisional figures. Light rain on Monday morning helped slow the spread eastward, but the blaze continued to move in a north-eastern direction.
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The fire prompted precautionary evacuations in parts of Monschau, a town close to the border in Germany. Belgium's King Philippe is due to visit the affected area, underlining the scale of the emergency. Local reporting described the situation as severe, with the fire spreading in an inaccessible area and continuing to challenge firefighters after a weekend of intense efforts.
The Belgian blaze is part of a wider wave of wildfires affecting several European countries at the same time. In Greece, an elderly couple died on the island of Salamis after a fire broke out near their home in the Peristeria beach area, and more than 500 people were ordered to leave their homes. In Spain, a soldier died while helping to extinguish a wildfire in the Aragon region, authorities said.
France is also dealing with a major fire in the north-east of the country, where reinforcements were due to help contain a blaze that has been burning for a week and has threatened a 1,000-year-old monastery. In Portugal, hundreds of firefighters were tackling several separate fires, including one near Dine, where five firefighters were injured when their vehicle caught fire. Other blazes were also reported near the Spanish border at Boticas and Chaves.
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The fires are unfolding during a period of intense heat across much of Europe, with dry conditions increasing the risk of wildfire outbreaks. The Belgian fire is especially significant because of its size, its proximity to Germany and the fact that it is affecting a protected natural area. The deaths in Greece and Spain also show how quickly these fires can become fatal, even for people involved in evacuation or firefighting efforts.
The immediate causes of each fire have not been confirmed in the supplied material, and the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. It is also unclear how long the Belgian fire will continue to burn or whether further evacuations will be needed near the border. What happens next will depend on weather conditions, reinforcements and whether the current heatwave eases in the coming days.
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