# Belgium wildfire: Rain helps firefighters contain blaze in High Fens

https://mins.news/en/item/25116

- DW, 2026-08-18 12:38 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.dw.com/en/belgium-widlfire-rains-help-high-fens-containment-efforts/a-78411972?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

> Firefighters are working to encircle Belgium’s largest wildfire in a century in the High Fens near the German border. Rain and cooler weather have helped curb the blaze, which has spread across about 3,000 hectares, though wind and difficult terrain are hampering aerial operations. Residents in nearby areas were evacuated, while smoke has reached cities including Cologne and Wuppertal.

## Stories

- [European Heatwave Wildfire and Drought Crisis](https://mins.news/en/topic/european-heatwave-and-drought) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/european-heatwave-and-drought.md

## Related coverage

- [Belgium wildfire contained in accessible areas](https://mins.news/en/item/24717) — CGTN, 2026-08-18
- [European aircraft join battle as Belgium’s record wildfire spreads](https://mins.news/en/video/24413) — DW News, 2026-08-17
- [Belgium’s largest wildfire on record spreads towards German border](https://mins.news/en/item/23492) — Al Jazeera, 2026-08-16