One of the largest wildfires in Belgium raged uncontrollably on Monday, despite cooler weather and rain aiding firefighting efforts. At the same time, a fire briefly erupted near Athens’ main airport in Greece. The Belgium fire, located in the eastern High Fens region, could persist underground in peaty soil for months and sporadically reignite, as per a fire ranger. Europe is experiencing one of its hottest and driest summers on record, with climate change being identified as a contributing factor.
King Philippe of Belgium interrupted his summer vacation to visit emergency services battling the wildfire, which has scorched an estimated 30 square kilometers in Liège province. Although the fire did not significantly expand, it remained uncontained in areas inaccessible to ground crews, according to the Wallonia region. Approximately 500 firefighters, supported by aircraft from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, along with local police drones, fought the blaze after a cold front brought overnight rain.
Farmers assisted in providing water for firefighting efforts, with helicopters dropping large water sacks over the flames. A spokesperson for the Wallonia regional public services mentioned that the fire remained active in inaccessible areas, despite overnight rains helping to contain it. The fire ranger warned that the blaze could continue burning underground for months due to the peaty soil, with new flames already emerging nearby. Precautionary evacuation orders remained in place for hundreds of residents, with concerns raised about the impact on wildlife and the environment.
In Greece, firefighters swiftly extinguished a fire near the main airport on the island of Salamina, following a deadly wildfire that claimed two lives and damaged homes. Additional wildfires broke out in other parts of Greece, including one in Spata near Athens, which was contained within 30 minutes. An 80-year-old man in Kavala was arrested on arson charges for allegedly setting fire to dried vegetation, among 302 fire-related arrests in Greece this year.
In southwestern France, authorities declared a fire in the Landes region under control after evacuating over 600 residents due to extreme heat. The French Prime Minister announced a 12 million-euro aid package for the regions most affected by wildfires, aiming to support the reconstruction of homes and businesses.
In Croatia, four individuals were arrested for suspected arson in the Zadar region, with investigations ongoing to determine the extent of the damages caused. The suspects are believed to have started multiple fires with the intent of endangering lives and property in the area.