High Fens fire under control as crews tackle remaining hotspots
Emergency crews have brought the High Fens wildfire under control after it affected almost 3,000 hectares, but about 100 responders remain deployed and public access to the burned area is still prohibited.
In 30 seconds
- The fire began near Baelen at about 13:00 on 14 August, according to Wallonia.
- Belgian Defence reported that almost 3,000 hectares were affected.
- About 100 responders were still deployed on 26 August, according to Wallonia.
- The Brussels Fire Brigade sent eight personnel and two vehicles, BRUZZ reported.
Updated 26 August 2026, 16:30 CEST
Emergency crews kept working in the in on Wednesday, 26 August, after bringing Belgium’s largest recorded wildfire under control. The Walloon government said about 100 responders were still tackling local hotspots in the northern and eastern sectors, while access to the affected nature reserve remained strictly prohibited.
The fire began near at around 13:00 on Friday, 14 August, according to the Walloon government. Belgian Defence said almost 3,000 hectares were affected before crews contained its spread. The official damage assessment has not yet established how much vegetation and peat was completely destroyed.
The operation drew firefighters from across Belgium as well as international assistance. BRUZZ reported that the Brussels Fire Brigade sent a 12,000-litre tanker with two crew members on 15 August and an engine with six firefighters the following day. More than 15 Belgian emergency zones, German and Luxembourg firefighters, Civil Protection, federal police equipment and Defence units participated, according to BRUZZ and the authorities.
Defence said it deployed about 40 military firefighters and six Panther vehicles, each carrying 10,500 litres of water. Their crews supported civilian firefighters from roads and tracks because the soft peatland prevented heavy vehicles from moving freely across the terrain. Defence warned that peat can continue burning below the surface after visible flames disappear, requiring prolonged cooling and surveillance.
The Walloon authorities reopened the N676, N672 and N68 on 25 August, with a 50-kilometre-per-hour limit and stopping restrictions near the fire zone. They stressed that reopening the roads did not reopen the reserve. Smouldering ground, weakened trees, smoke and exposed wartime ammunition continue to pose hazards.
Officials said drinking-water tests met health standards, although enhanced monitoring will continue for several weeks. Air-quality monitoring was also expanded around the plateau, according to the Walloon public services.
The fire disrupted residents and tourism as well as the protected landscape. Wallonia said 34 accommodation businesses were evacuated over the 15 August weekend. Restoration work, including rewetting peatland and repairing paths, is expected to take years.
Where this is happening
View on map High Fens →Crews will now pursue full control of the remaining hotspots while environmental teams assess damage to peat, wildlife, water and air. The cause of the fire and the final burned-area calculation have not been publicly established.
What to do
Do not enter the burned High Fens nature reserve until authorities formally lift the prohibition; a road reopening does not mean walking areas are accessible. If travelling around Baelen or eastern Liège province, check current Walloon and local authority notices before departure and follow barriers or diversions on site. Tourism operators and visitors should expect cancellations, altered routes or restricted access while roughly 100 responders continue hotspot work. The next practical milestone is an official reopening announcement, not merely confirmation that the fire is under control.
Impact
Regional — Liège province and Belgium’s German-speaking eastern municipalities face prolonged nature closures, environmental damage and disruption to tourism businesses around the High Fens.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 3 official documents + 1 independent reporting sourceExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
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Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsEmergency-management authorities
The Walloon authorities prioritise continued suppression, strict exclusion zones and monitoring because underground hotspots, unstable trees, smoke and old ammunition still endanger the public and responders.
Federal climate-preparedness authorities
Federal Climate Minister Jean-Luc Crucke says the post-crisis response should include a national evaluation of prevention, coordination, warning systems and operational capacity, with climate risk integrated more fully into emergency planning.
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