High Fens fire closures disrupt walking holidays and local tourism

Updated 24 August 2026, 10:00 CEST — HIGH FENS, LIÈGE PROVINCE. Authorities have brought the wildfire that began near Baelen on 14 August under control, but the Walloon authorities are keeping affected forests and nature reserves closed while emergency crews deal with smouldering ground and other hazards. The East Belgium Tourism Agency says every evacuation order has been lifted, although the High Fens plateau remains inaccessible.

The restrictions have interrupted some of the region’s best-known walking and cycling itineraries. According to the tourism agency, stages three and four of the 109-kilometre Venntrilogie are closed, the Vennbahn is diverted between Raeren and Waimes, and the Stoneman Arduenna no longer reaches its High Fens checkpoint. Other sections of those routes and most accommodation elsewhere in East Belgium remain accessible.

The disruption has already reached tour operators. Bart De Winter of Anders Reizen told Het Nieuwsblad that trips on the Venntrilogie had been cancelled because its most distinctive sections cross the closed landscape. Tourism businesses interviewed separately by the newspaper reported cancelled bookings, cleaning work caused by ash and uncertainty about when visitors will return.

The fire affected about 3,000 hectares, according to Reuters, making it Belgium’s largest recorded wildfire. The Walloon government says it started at about 13:06 on 14 August near Baelen; its cause has not been established publicly. Reuters reported that Belgian responders received assistance from Germany, Luxembourg and EU-supported aircraft as the fire advanced through peatland, heath and pine forest.

Reopening requires more than extinguishing visible flames. The Walloon environmental administration says underground hotspots can restart the fire, while weakened trees, local smoke, disturbed wildlife and old munitions present further risks. Its 23 August update found no worrying carbon-monoxide concentrations; a temporary rise in fine particles overnight had subsided, leaving the 24-hour air-quality rating in the good category.

The immediate tourism picture is therefore uneven. The plateau and its signature paths remain off limits, but the East Belgium Tourism Agency stresses that most of the wider destination is open. That distinction matters to hotels, restaurants and guides seeking to limit losses without drawing visitors into an active emergency zone.

Officials will next assess ecological damage, path safety and burned infrastructure before announcing reopenings or lasting diversions. Until then, visitors should consult the official route planner, contact accommodation providers directly and respect every barrier.