Belgium Battles Historic Wildfires, Firefighting Gaps

Belgium is confronting one of the largest natural fires in its history as the High Fens blaze continues to burn, while the country’s only firefighting planes prepare to depart and Defence Minister Theo Francken unveils a military fire action plan. The fire, which began on August 14, has already consumed approximately 3,000 hectares of the unique peat bog nature reserve, according to VRT NWS.

The High Fens Fire: A Precarious Situation

The fire in the High Fens is temporarily contained but could flare up again as soon as the rain stops, warned Niels Bouwens of Netwerk Brandweer, the Flemish fire brigade umbrella organization. “The peat area consists of bone-dry moss,” Bouwens explained. “The rainwater runs over it, but where it smolders underneath, it doesn’t reach. It would have to rain for weeks to make the peat area mossy and water-holding again. As soon as it stops raining, the fire just flares up again.”

Some 500 emergency responders and 120 vehicles have been deployed to fight the blaze, with 60 German firefighters assisting. The fire brigade is digging a firebreak to prevent the fire from spreading toward Germany, where parts of the border town Monschau have been evacuated. The Liege prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the fire’s origin.

Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has warned that firefighting efforts could take weeks, noting that the fire is not under control even though it is being managed.

Firefighting Planes Depart Genk

Adding to Belgium’s firefighting challenges, the country’s only firefighting planes are leaving their base at Zwartberg airport in Genk. The rental contract for the hangar has been terminated, and the four AT-802 Fire Boss planes from Aquarius Aerial Firefighting—a subsidiary of Luxembourg’s Cargolux—will move to Luxembourg for maintenance and storage, as reported by VRT NWS.

“Belgium can still call on our planes, also for training of pilots,” said Wieger Ketellapper, CEO of Aquarius Aerial Firefighting. “Genk is a fine place. It’s just more practical to keep both maintenance and storage in one place.”

The planes are currently deployed in Turkey, with five similar aircraft rented to that country. Two Swedish Fire Boss planes were sent to Belgium on Sunday as part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, with costs fully covered by the EU.

Defence Minister Theo Francken reacted sharply to the departure: “Those 4 firefighting planes are the only ones we have, and then we chase them away. I’m going to contact the Limburg governor to mediate.”

Military Fire Action Plan Unveiled

Francken is working on a military fire action plan that would provide Defence with additional resources to combat large wildfires, according to Het Laatste Nieuws. The plan includes renting two Fire Boss firefighting planes, to be ready by summer 2027. Each Fire Boss can carry 3,100 liters per drop.

Francken meets with Aquarius Aerial Firefighting on Tuesday to negotiate the rental. He also wants to accelerate the purchase of 11 heavy transport helicopters (Chinook type)—a politically sensitive 1.3 billion euro acquisition currently planned for delivery by 2033. Dutch Chinook helicopters, which can drop 7,600 liters per pass with a bambi bucket, have been assisting in the High Fens.

The minister also wants H145M helicopter crews prioritized for bambi bucket training and aims to strengthen the military fire brigade with an officer corps, including a standby system during periods of highest wildfire risk. According to the minister, no extra budget is needed for the plan.

The Chinook purchase is politically sensitive because the helicopters are American-made, and left-wing opposition parties oppose American purchases. Government parties Vooruit and CD&V previously objected to American acquisitions, including the NASAMS air defense systems.

A Troubling Data Gap

Experts are highlighting a significant lack of investigations and data on forest fires in Belgium and those who cause them. According to RTBF, Belgium has recorded 234 vegetation fires since the start of 2026—more than double the total for all of 2025 and nearly four times the long-term annual average of 62 fires per year.

Stephane Thiry, commander of the Luxembourg fire zone, noted that there are no real statistics on natural area fires in Belgium. “It’s the demonstration that today in Belgium, we have no figures, no real statistics,” Thiry said. “There is a form today of impunity on the natural environment, unlike buildings, where procedures are clear.”

Jan Baetens, professor at Ghent University, emphasized that over 95% of natural area fires in European countries are caused by humans. “In most fires, we don’t know the cause, because in the majority of cases there is no judicial investigation,” Baetens said. “Prevention, preparation and scientifically based land management are more important than ever.”

The Luxembourg fire zone commander has launched a pilot project modeled on France’s RCCI (Recherche des Causes et Circonstances d’Incendie) cell, targeting 2-3 trained teams by 2027.

Ecological Devastation

The High Fens is a unique high peat bog ecosystem, with some peat layers 6-8 meters thick built up over thousands of years. Unlike the 2011 fire, which occurred in spring when the ground was wet, this fire is burning in the dried-out peat itself, making it far harder to extinguish.

Professor Kris Verheyen of Ghent University warned that the ecological damage will be long-lasting. “The rebuilding of that peat can take decades and perhaps even centuries,” Verheyen said, as reported by VRT NWS. Peat grows only 1 millimeter per year on average.

The fire also releases stored CO2 into the atmosphere and threatens rare species like the black grouse. The High Fens act as a water battery for the region, and degradation affects water flow and chemistry downstream. WWF has called for a nature restoration plan to be submitted to the EU by September 1.

What’s Next

The Chamber Committee on Interior Affairs convenes Thursday at 2pm, where Minister Quintin will answer questions from opposition parties Anders and PVDA about Belgium’s preparedness for future natural fires and the impact of Civil Protection budget cuts.

CERAC director Luc Bas warned that Belgium is behind on wildfire preparedness. “How many more firefighting helicopters do you need if we don’t adapt our logic?” Bas asked. “We have much more knowledge and much more coordination needed in Belgium. Things are being adjusted bit by bit, but prevention is not high enough on the political agenda. Flanders does its thing, Wallonia does its thing, but at this point it’s becoming a matter of national security.”

With Europe experiencing nearly 50% more large natural fires than the yearly average this season, and Belgium facing a new reality of summer wildfires, the coming weeks will test whether the country can translate lessons from the High Fens blaze into lasting change.