Firefighters in Belgium are intensifying efforts to contain the country’s largest wildfire on record, which has ravaged thousands of hectares in the High Fens nature reserve near the German border.

The blaze has burned around 3,000 hectares of land, with difficult terrain, dry conditions, and shifting winds making containment efforts challenging. More than 500 firefighters, soldiers, farmers, and emergency personnel are involved in the operation, supported by firefighting aircraft and helicopters from several European countries.

Authorities have been working to establish firebreaks and strengthen defensive lines to prevent the flames from spreading further toward Germany. Residents in nearby areas have been evacuated as a precaution, while officials continue to monitor smoke and the fire’s movement.

Rainfall has provided some relief and helped slow the fire’s advance, but firefighters remain on alert because flames have penetrated peat-rich ground, where fires can continue smouldering underground and potentially reignite.

The wildfire comes amid an intense summer of extreme heat and widespread fires across Europe. Belgian authorities are also investigating the cause of the blaze, with human activity among the possibilities being examined.