High Fens wildfire partly contained as two emergency workers suffer minor injuries

Updated 17 August 2026, 17:30 CEST — HIGH FENS, LIÈGE PROVINCE: Fire crews partly contained the wildfire burning through the High Fens on Monday, while two emergency workers suffered minor injuries during the response, De Morgen reported in its latest live update. The firefighting operation remains active, and the full extent of the damage has not yet been established.

The fire began on Friday in the protected landscape in eastern Belgium and spread through dry vegetation and peat during a period of elevated fire danger, according to De Morgen. Emergency teams have worked across difficult terrain, where access to water and persistent heat below the surface complicate containment. Authorities have not announced a confirmed cause.

RTBF reported that the fire has struck sensitive peatland and other habitats within the High Fens nature reserve. Laurane Winandy, director of the University of Liège’s High Fens scientific station, told the broadcaster that peat can continue smouldering underground after visible flames disappear. That leaves crews facing a prolonged task of locating hot spots and preventing renewed outbreaks.

The High Fens form Wallonia’s largest nature reserve and include rare raised bogs, heathland and forests. An official Walloon information page describes the reserve as highly combustible during dry periods because its upper vegetation layers can ignite quickly. Red-flag restrictions are used to close vulnerable areas when the danger becomes acute.

The emergency also sharpens an existing national warning. Belgium’s Climate Risk Assessment Center, CERAC, said in a 2025 assessment that hotter summers and longer droughts are increasing the threat from wildfires. CERAC called for better early-warning systems, more specialised equipment, improved mapping and stronger coordination between services. The National Crisis Centre separately classifies a large wildfire as a high-probability Belgian risk and advises the public to stay outside affected areas until emergency services lift restrictions.

For residents and visitors, the immediate instruction is straightforward: respect every closure, avoid the wider intervention zone and follow municipal and provincial updates. The Crisis Centre says anyone who sees fire or people in danger should call 112 and provide the clearest possible location.

Crews will now focus on securing the fire perimeter, extinguishing underground hot spots and assessing ecological damage. Further official updates are expected on the affected area, access restrictions and the investigation into how the fire started.