Europe’s battle with wildfires continues

A historically hot summer has contributed to the deaths of thousands of people — and increased the risk of forest fires. Here are the latest developments:

Belgium fire doubles leading to heavy smoke pollution in Germany’s Monschau

A wildfire raging in a nature reserve in eastern Belgium, the biggest to hit the country in recent history, has more than doubled in size in 24 hours to affect some 3,000 hectares (7,500 acres), authorities said.

The Wallonia regional government said more than 250 firefighters and other emergency personnel were mobilised through the night, but that “conditions remain challenging” two days after the fire’s outbreak in the High Fens park.

On Sunday, the entire area along the German border to Belgium was shrouded in thick, yellowish smoke.

According to German authorities, the flames are now just three kilometres from the German border. Although the fire was not expected to spread into the country, significant smoke pollution was likely, so on Sunday morning, authorities “urgently” advised residents in three districts of border town Monschau in North-Rhine Westphalia to leave their homes by 10am.

The town said on its website that it “cannot be ruled out that there will be increased, significant smoke exposure and smoke fallout starting in the morning.”

Four arrested over Croatia fires

Croatian police said they had arrested four people suspected of starting some of the wildfires that have swept parts of the Adriatic coast in recent days.

The four are suspected of setting fires that scorched pine forests and olive groves as Croatia battles a wave of blazes fuelled by drought and heat.

France gets a grip on wildfires

A fire in southwestern France has burnt 1,700 hectares since Thursday, but “the situation is developing more favourably”, with no major flare-ups in the night, according to regional prefect Gilles Clavreul, thanks in particular to falling temperatures.

The circumstances of another fire in the northeastern Ardennes had improved, a local official said. Around 100 hectares have been burnt since Saturday, a situation described as “unprecedented in the recent history” of the department, according to the deputy director of the Ardennes fire service, David Gouzou.

READ ALSO: 500 evacuated as new wildfire breaks out in south-west France

Greek island fire

Firefighters were battling for a second day to contain a forest fire on the Greek Aegean island of Skyros, as the local mayor voiced hope it could soon be brought under control.

“Within the day I believe the fire will be fully extinguished,” Skyros mayor Kyriakos Antonopoulos told state TV ERT.

Germany

In Germany’s Eifel region, just across the border from Belgium, a major fire that forced the evacuation of some 1,800 people from Hürtgenwald – a town of 9,000 – was improving on Sunday although the flames had not yet been completely extinguished.

Residents were able to return to their homes as the situation around the Gey district had “eased sufficiently,” the Düren district stated on its website Saturday evening.

The spread had been halted and there was no longer any immediate threat to the district from the forest fire, authorities said.

According to reports, around 1,600 emergency personnel remain on site.

READ ALSO: Wildfire forces evacuation of 1,800 people in North Rhine-Westphalia

Spain

A fire in the northeastern region of Aragon is raging for a seventh day and has affected more than 16,000 hectares, but firemen said on Saturday they had halted its spread towards population centres and two monasteries, one of which has roots in the 10th century.

On Sunday, France is sending 100 firefighters, 16 fire engines and a helicopter to support the operation.

As a precaution, authorities sent an emergency ES text alert on Sunday, asking people hiking or engaging in other activities in forest areas to remain in urban environments and not venture into the mountains due to the proximity of the forest fire to Peña Oroel mountain.

Over 1,000 people from 20 different villages and settlements remain evacuated, though weather forecasts call for some welcome light rain and lower temperatures.