By Ingrid "Shortwave" Frost
The fire started Friday afternoon in the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve. By Monday it had burned more than 3,000 hectares, according to provisional figures, and was creeping toward the German border, forcing evacuations along the way.
Belgian officials believe it is the largest wildfire in the country's history. King Philippe traveled to the affected area Monday morning after a weekend in which firefighting crews worked without much rest.
Belgium is not alone. France and Greece are also fighting wildfires this week, part of a summer that has strained emergency services across southern and western Europe. Details on casualties, structural damage and the precise cause of the Hautes Fagnes fire were not available in the reporting reviewed for this article.
The blaze is the latest test of Europe's wildfire response as hot, dry conditions persist across the continent. What happens at the German border in the coming days — whether the fire crosses it, and how two governments coordinate a response — will be worth watching.
[Editor's note: Casualty figures, cause of the fire, and full scope of evacuations were not specified in available reporting and should be confirmed before further detail is added.]
FILED FROM SOMEWHERE WITH BAD COFFEE -
— Compiled from reporting by The Guardian.
The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."