Residents of a German town near the Belgian border have been advised by the municipality to leave as a major fire in a Belgian forested area advances toward Germany.
Të lidhura
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According to Monschau authorities, the fire is currently 1.5 kilometers from the German border and 1.8 kilometers from the nearest residential area.
Firefighters worked throughout the night in an effort to bring the largest forest fire ever recorded in Belgium under control. The flames broke out at midday on Friday in the mountainous Fagnes Nature Park in western Belgium and are moving toward Germany.
Local authorities say the fire has destroyed 30,000 hectares.
The municipality of the town, which has around 12,000 residents, warned that even if the flames do not enter German territory, the smoke is expected to cause significant air pollution.
“For this reason, residents of areas near the border have been advised to evacuate these areas,” the municipality said.
Meanwhile, Belgian authorities have ordered the evacuation of the town of Kuchelscheid, which is a 10-minute drive from Monschau.
