Wallonia reopens roads as High Fens fire exposes gaps in climate preparedness
Walloon authorities reopened three roads through the High Fens on Tuesday morning after bringing Belgium’s largest recorded wildfire under control, although smouldering ground fires and extensive forest closures remain.
In 30 seconds
- The fire began near Baelen at about 13:00 on 14 August 2026.
- Belgian Defence reported that almost 3,000 hectares were affected.
- The N68, N672 and N676 reopened at 10:00 on 25 August with stopping, parking and speed restrictions.
- Forests and reserves in the Verviers, Malmedy and Elsenborn districts remain closed.
Updated 25 August 2026, 12:00 CEST — Walloon authorities reopened the N68, N672 and N676 through the at 10:00 on Tuesday, 25 August, after emergency services brought the fire that began near Baelen on 14 August under control. The Walloon government said stopping and parking remain prohibited near the burned area, while speeds are limited to 50 km/h and forests and nature reserves across the , Malmedy and Elsenborn districts remain closed.
The reopening restores access for businesses affected by the road closures, but it does not mark the end of the emergency. According to the Walloon government’s latest operational update, crews dealt with several local flare-ups during the night of 23 to 24 August. Authorities warn that fire can continue to smoulder underground, particularly in peat, while burned trees, residual smoke and exposed wartime munitions make entry dangerous.
Almost 3,000 hectares were affected, according to the Belgian Defence Ministry, which deployed about 40 military firefighters and six Panther vehicles. Belgian crews received support from Germany and from aircraft supplied through international and European cooperation. All residents evacuated from Sourbrodt, Küchelscheid and Leykaul had returned home by 19 August, the Walloon government reported.
The scale of the deployment has opened a wider debate over Wallonia’s preparedness for vegetation fires. Federal Climate Minister said the National Crisis Centre will conduct a detailed review of forecasting, information-sharing, coordination, alert systems and operational capacity. His office said the federal government added €850,000 in March to FIRE4BE, a project developing national fire-risk data, modelling, detection and health-impact tools.
Emergency performance and long-term resilience are separate questions. The authorities contained an exceptionally large fire without reporting civilian deaths, yet the operation depended on personnel from across Belgium, military equipment and foreign aerial support. A 2025 Walloon climate-adaptation assessment had already identified the High Fens and forest edges among priority areas for wildfire exposure.
Where this is happening
View on map High Fens →Water tests near the plateau remain compliant with health standards, according to the Walloon government, which will continue monitoring for several weeks because contaminants travel slowly through the ground. Officials have not established the fire’s cause publicly. The immediate tests are whether underground hotspots remain contained and when the protected landscape can safely reopen; the longer one is whether the promised post-crisis review produces stronger prevention and response capacity before the next extreme fire season.
What to do
Drivers can use the N68, N672 and N676 again from 10:00 on 25 August 2026, but should not stop or park and must follow temporary speed restrictions. Visitors should not enter forests or reserves in the Verviers, Malmedy and Elsenborn districts until authorities lift the closures; check Walloon Government and Wallonia Environment updates before travelling. Residents allowed home should continue following official guidance on smoke, water conditions and unsafe trees. Tourism operators and planned visitors should expect cancellations, rerouting and restricted access while hotspot monitoring and ecological assessments continue.
Impact
Regional — Eastern Wallonia faces prolonged nature closures, ecological restoration work and disruption to tourism, while public authorities must monitor air, water, unstable trees and underground hotspots.
EvidenceWell established · 4 official documents + 1 independent reporting source · Background sources: 1Explore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
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Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsFire-service and preparedness advocates
Belgian fire-service representatives and opposition party DéFI argue that limited domestic aerial capacity, staffing pressure and fragmented crisis resources show that Belgium entered the event without sufficient means for a wildfire of this scale.
Federal review-first position
Federal Climate Minister Jean-Luc Crucke’s office says authorities should first establish what worked and what failed through a National Crisis Centre evaluation, while expanding scientific risk modelling and integrating climate expertise into national preparedness.
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