Belgium wildfire burns 1,600 hectares, threatens village

A wildfire in the Fagnes natural park in eastern Belgium has burned at least 16 square kilometres, or 1,600 hectares, since breaking out on Friday, authorities said, as a nearby village faced possible evacuation.

Firefighter reinforcements from across Belgium and from Germany have been called in to fight the blaze near the German border. Water bomber aircraft and helicopters have also been mobilised under the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism after the fire grew overnight.

The village of Sourbrodt, which has about 500 residents, was under threat of evacuation. Nicolas Yernaux, a spokesperson for regional authorities in Wallonia, told AFP that evacuation was being considered because of smoke, but that no final decision had been taken.

“There is a risk that the fire could reach homes, but we are deploying all available resources to protect them,” Yernaux said.

In Eupen, a municipality close to the fire, the sky was gradually turning yellow and columns of smoke were visible in the distance, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.