Belgium's King Philippe will visit the area affected by what is believed to be the largest wildfire in the country's history this morning, after a weekend of intense firefighting in the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

The fire has been raging since Friday afternoon, burning more than 3,000 hectares of land, provisional figures show. Over the weekend, the blaze crept closer to the German border, prompting the precautionary evacuation of parts of the town of Monschau.

As of Monday morning, light rain helped to stop the spread of the fire east towards Germany, but the blaze continued to grow in the north-eastern direction, local media reported.

Belgian newspaper Le Soir warned: "This is no longer just a warning," lamenting the severe impact of the summer heatwave and the mounting losses.

Over the weekend, large wildfires were also reported in France and Greece.

Scale of the fire

The Hautes Fagnes nature reserve is a natural reserve in eastern Belgium, known for its peat bogs and rare flora. The fire continued into Saturday evening, mobilizing local firefighting efforts.

Drone footage shows smoke rising from burnt fields and forests near Waimes. This could be the largest fire in the region.

Evacuation and safety measures

Over the weekend, the fire crept closer to the German border, prompting the precautionary evacuation of parts of the town of Monschau. These measures were taken due to the risk of the fire spreading.

On Monday morning, the situation stabilized, but firefighting efforts continue. Local authorities urge residents to remain cautious and warn of possible new outbreaks.

Climate crisis and wildfires

This fire is another example of natural disasters occurring due to the climate crisis in Europe. Summer heatwaves and drought increase the risk of fires.

Large wildfires were also reported in France and Greece, highlighting the severity of the situation in southern Europe. Experts warn that such disasters will become more frequent due to climate change.

Conclusion

King Philippe's visit to the affected area is a recognition of the scale of the disaster and a sign of support for those affected. The fight against the consequences of the fire will be long, and recovery will take time.

We will bring you all the updates during the day. It's Monday, 17 August 2026, it's Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.