Efforts to tackle the wildfire in the High Fens nature reserve in Belgium, close to the border with Germany, are continuing on Monday morning, with aid coming from four European countries.
Roughly 3,000 hectares of land has burned since the fire started on Friday.
Firefighters have faced difficult conditions with relatively strong and constantly shifting winds and the rugged landscape of the High Fens nature reserve with few roads providing access and extensive peat bogs making firefighting difficult.
As daylight returns, operations will be stepped up again, Franz-Karl Boden, deputy mayor of Monschau, told the dpa.
At present, there is no expectation that the fire will spread to German territory, said Boden. It was raining this morning and more precipitation is expected throughout the day.
Around 30 residents from 17 homes in parts of Monschau were evacuated late on Sunday as a precaution due to the risk of heavy smoke. Helicopters will resume their operations in the hard-to-reach area.
European countries ***isting Belgium
Next to a Dutch helicopter with a large water tank and two water-scooping planes from Sweden, two helicopters from Germany’s armed forces or Bundeswehr are to arrive in Belgium at noon and two Norwegian helicopters are expected for tonight.
On Saturday, around 600 people had to be evacuated from two Belgian municipalities close to the fire, which now covers an area the size of nearly 3,800 football pitches.
