Two people died in a fire on Salamina, and 600 people were ordered to evacuate in Belgium
Two people died as a result of two fires on the Greek island of Salamis. Their bodies were found near Peristeria Beach on Sunday, a fire department spokesperson told AFP. Due to the fires, authorities ordered the evacuation of hundreds of people.
Meanwhile, in Belgium, firefighters have been battling a massive wildfire for three days in the High Fens Nature Reserve in the east of the country, near the border with Germany. According to The Guardian, the fire, which broke out on Friday, had engulfed about 3,000 hectares by Sunday morning and was approaching the German border.
Approximately 600 residents of the municipalities of Weem and Bütgenbach in the province of Liège were ordered to leave their homes. Tourists were also advised to leave after the wind shifted direction and smoke began to spread. About 20 people who complied with the order spent the night in a sports hall, while others stayed with relatives or friends.
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More than 250 firefighters and emergency responders, including firefighters from Germany, have been deployed to fight the fire. Farmers are also helping to transport water from Lake Roberville using tractors.
Two Swedish water-bombing planes and four helicopters—two each from Belgium and the Netherlands—were deployed to fight the fire. Aerial support is crucial due to the reserve’s complex and vulnerable terrain: it features dense forests, peat bogs, and wooden walkways where heavy firefighting equipment could get stuck. On Sunday, access to Lake Bütgenbach was restricted so that the planes could draw water.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quentin stated that the situation remains difficult, although two fire fronts in the directions of Jalie and Monschau have been brought under control. Officials have called the fire the largest in Belgium’s modern history.
