A fire of unusual proportions has engulfed a large part of Belgium's largest mountain natural park, in the east of the country, burning at least 16,500 hectares of land.
Belgian authorities have described the situation as an unprecedented fire, while local media have described it as one of the largest fires recorded in the country.
The fire broke out around noon on Friday, August 14, in a forested area of the Fan region, near the border with Germany. The flames spread rapidly overnight, engulfing a significant area of the park.
The European Civil Protection Mechanism has also been activated to deal with the situation. The European Union has sent three helicopters and two firefighting aircraft from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands to the area, in support of Belgian forces.
Firefighters from various parts of Belgium are on the ground, while soldiers with vehicles equipped to transport and throw water over long distances are also involved in the operation. Farmers are also contributing to the efforts to contain the flames with their vehicles.
The size of the fire and the mountainous terrain are making it difficult for teams on the ground to intervene, while operations to isolate and extinguish the flames continue.
