Brussels, August 16: A massive wildfire in Belgium has caused widespread panic, engulfing approximately 2,000 hectares of land. Authorities reported that the inferno, which broke out in the eastern region of ‘Hainaut’ on Saturday evening, is the most severe wildfire the country has ever faced.
The Walloon Public Service confirmed that this fire has set a national record for the largest area affected by a wildfire. According to Xinhua News Agency, firefighting efforts continued for about 30 hours after the blaze ignited around 2 PM on Friday.
Local media indicated that around 600 residents from nearby areas were evacuated to safety. As a precaution, approximately 500 people from the municipality of Wavre and around 100 from Butgenbach were relocated. Evacuation orders were issued for 15 streets in Wavre and seven streets in Butgenbach.
International assistance was mobilized under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Two helicopters from the Dutch military, a firefighting helicopter from the Czech Republic, and two firefighting planes from Sweden were deployed to combat the flames.
Local officials stated that strong winds were complicating firefighting efforts and increasing the risk of the fire spreading. Earlier, Belgium had requested additional firefighting support through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism. On Saturday, a helicopter and two firefighting planes from the EU fleet were dispatched to Belgium.
By Saturday afternoon, the fire remained uncontrolled. Belgian authorities deployed three helicopters, while the military sent three Panther firefighting vehicles to bolster ground operations. Officials in Wavre urged residents of Wavre to remain prepared for potential evacuation, although they were informed that leaving their homes was not yet necessary. Local media reported that the mayors of Wavre and Jalhay described this fire as the most devastating in Belgium’s history.
–
Leave a Comment