High Fens wildfire expands as German crews reinforce Belgian firefighters

Updated: 17 August 2026, 14:00 CEST

Belgian and German firefighters fought an expanding wildfire in the High Fens on Monday, 17 August 2026, after the blaze forced residents from threatened areas and burned an estimated 2,700 hectares. RTBF reported that the evacuation order remained in force around Sourbrodt, while the municipality of Bütgenbach asked people to stay away from the operational zone.

Het Nieuwsblad reported that one fire front was advancing at an estimated five to ten kilometres per hour and that German emergency crews had crossed the border to reinforce the Belgian response. The estimate describes the fire front’s reported rate of movement, not a constant speed across the entire affected area. Authorities had not announced that the blaze was under control by the time of this update.

The fire began on Friday and spread through exceptionally vulnerable heathland and peat habitat, according to RTBF and L’Echo. Laurane Winandy, director of the University of Liège’s High Fens scientific station, told L’Echo that more than half of the nature reserve had been affected and that two of its three active raised bogs lay within the fire zone. A complete ecological assessment remains impossible while emergency operations continue.

Peat makes this fire particularly difficult to extinguish. Winandy explained to L’Echo that heat can travel below the surface and produce new outbreaks after visible flames have disappeared. She said infrared drones and extended ground monitoring will be required once crews can safely inspect the burned terrain.

The immediate priority remains protecting residents, firefighters and settlements bordering the reserve. RTBF said Sourbrodt residents covered by the evacuation measure should continue following official instructions, while Bütgenbach authorities warned visitors not to approach the fire area. No verified cause had been announced, and the available reports did not confirm deaths or the destruction of homes.

The High Fens previously suffered a major fire in 2023, when Belgian and German responders worked together for 72 hours. An official Liège provincial statement said that operation ended after all active fire sites were extinguished, illustrating both the value of cross-border assistance and the need for prolonged surveillance.

Firefighters will next try to contain the moving fronts and identify underground hot spots. Authorities are expected to revise the burned-area estimate, evacuation perimeter and environmental damage assessment as access improves.