WalloniaBelgium
Updated 27 August 2026

Hautes Fagnes fire under control after burning around 3,000 hectares

Walloon authorities say the Hautes Fagnes wildfire is under control after burning around 3,000 hectares, although underground hotspots and public-access restrictions remain.

Belgium Impulse Editorial·27 August 2026·3 min read·
Well established· 5 official documents + 2 independent reporting sources
TopicsHautes FagnesBaelenWallonia wildfireBelgian Civil ProtectionBelgian DefenceEU Civil Protection MechanismrescEUProvince of Liège

In 30 seconds

  • The fire began near Baelen at about 13:00 on 14 August 2026.
  • Authorities estimate that around 3,000 hectares were affected.
  • The fire is controlled overall, but peat hotspots remain possible.
  • All precautionary evacuees had returned home by 19 August.

Updated 27 August 2026 — Walloon authorities said on 24 August that the wildfire which started near

Place

Baelen

Walloon commune near which the fire began on 14 August 2026.

Why it matters

Walloon commune near which the fire began on 14 August 2026.

View on map View source record
at about 13:00 on 14 August was under control across the Hautes Fagnes, after burning around 3,000 hectares. The Walloon government said crews were still tackling difficult sectors in the north and east, where fire can persist below the surface in peat soils.

The provincial governor’s office said firefighters from Wallonia and Flanders remained involved alongside

Organisation

Civil Protection

Belgian federal emergency service involved in the response.

Why it matters

Belgian federal emergency service involved in the response.

About

Civil defense or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from human-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency management: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation and recovery. Programs of this sort were initially discussed at least as early as the 1920s and were implemented in some countries during the 1930s as the threat of war and aerial bombardment grew.

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, the Belgian Defence forces and police. Flanders had earlier declared itself ready to provide assistance, while an eastern Flemish Brabant emergency zone sent nine firefighters, two wildfire vehicles and a tanker on 16 August. The operation became a nationwide response rather than a solely Walloon deployment.

Belgian Defence reported on 19 August that about 500 people were then mobilised. Its Panther firefighting vehicles worked from accessible roads to cool the ground and prevent the fire reaching neighbouring woodland. According to Defence, changing winds, poor access and burning peat made the operation unusually difficult because visible flames could disappear while heat remained underground.

Belgium also activated the

policy

EU Civil Protection Mechanism

European framework through which international emergency assistance was coordinated.

Why it matters

European framework through which international emergency assistance was coordinated.

. The European Commission’s representation in Belgium said Sweden supplied two
policy

rescEU

EU shared emergency-response capacity connected to European firefighting assistance.

Why it matters

EU shared emergency-response capacity connected to European firefighting assistance.

 firefighting aircraft, while the Netherlands, Norway and Germany provided helicopters. That international support extended the response into areas ground teams could not safely reach.

Residents evacuated from Sourbrodt, Küchelscheid and Leykaul had all returned home by 19 August, according to the Walloon government. Its latest published assessment found no concerning carbon-monoxide concentrations in surrounding communities, while drinking-water checks remained compliant. Authorities nevertheless warned that smoke can recur and that damaged trees, concealed hotspots and old munitions still make the burned area dangerous.

Where this is happening

View on map Baelen →
Baelen · 50.630, 5.971 · Open in OpenStreetMap ↗ · Source: Wikidata Q66312777

Roads reopened on 25 August with reduced speed limits near the fire zone, but forest and nature-reserve restrictions remain in force. The next phase is a detailed ecological assessment and a continuing investigation into the cause. Until the ground is secure, officials are asking visitors to respect closures and leave the affected landscape to emergency and environmental teams.

Who’s affectedBaelen residentseastern Wallonia residentsHautes Fagnes visitorslocal tourism businessesWalloon emergency respondersBrussels and Flemish emergency crewsnature reserve managers
Context & what happens next

What to do

Residents and visitors should continue following official Walloon and Province of Liège instructions before entering forests, reserves or roads around the Hautes Fagnes and Baelen. Do not assume that “under control” means the affected area is fully extinguished or open: underground peat hotspots and access restrictions remain. Anyone planning hiking, cycling or other tourism in eastern Wallonia should check current closures and be prepared to change routes. Evacuees had returned home by 19 August, so the immediate displacement phase has ended, but monitoring and local restrictions may continue without a fixed end date stated in the article.

Impact

Regional — Eastern Wallonia faced evacuations, road closures, disrupted tourism and restrictions across forests and nature reserves. Crews and equipment from Flanders and Brussels reinforced the Walloon response.

Evidence
Well established · 5 official documents + 2 independent reporting sources
Explore evidence →
Walloon Government
Published:
14 Aug 2026, 02:00
Retrieved by ODIN:
27 Aug 2026
Read original ↗
Environment in Wallonia
Published:
19 Aug 2026, 02:00
Retrieved by ODIN:
27 Aug 2026
Read original ↗
Governor of the Province of Liège
Published:
18 Aug 2026, 02:00
Retrieved by ODIN:
27 Aug 2026
Read original ↗
Belgian Defence
Published:
19 Aug 2026, 02:00
Retrieved by ODIN:
27 Aug 2026
Read original ↗
European Commission Representation in Belgium
Published:
17 Aug 2026, 02:00
Retrieved by ODIN:
27 Aug 2026
Read original ↗

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Places

Baelen

Walloon commune near which the fire began on 14 August 2026.

In this story

Walloon commune near which the fire began on 14 August 2026.

View on map View source record
Places

Brussels

Belgian region whose emergency crews helped reinforce firefighting operations.

In this story

Belgian region whose emergency crews helped reinforce firefighting operations.

Background

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of the French Community of Belgium, the Flemish Region, and Belgium. The City of Brussels is also the administrative centre of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions in its European Quarter.

Official site View source record
Organisations

Civil Protection

Belgian federal emergency service involved in the response.

In this story

Belgian federal emergency service involved in the response.

Background

Civil defense or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from human-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency management: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation and recovery. Programs of this sort were initially discussed at least as early as the 1920s and were implemented in some countries during the 1930s as the threat of war and aerial bombardment grew.

View source record
Concepts

EU Civil Protection Mechanism

European framework through which international emergency assistance was coordinated.

In this story

European framework through which international emergency assistance was coordinated.

Concepts

rescEU

EU shared emergency-response capacity connected to European firefighting assistance.

In this story

EU shared emergency-response capacity connected to European firefighting assistance.

Concepts

Hautes Fagnes wildfire

Wildfire that began on 14 August 2026 and affected around 3,000 hectares.

In this story

Wildfire that began on 14 August 2026 and affected around 3,000 hectares.

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