KALMTHOUT — A wildfire tearing through the Kalmthoutse Heide nature reserve has doubled in size over the last 24 hours, forcing emergency crews to battle shifting winds and dense, dry vegetation. The fire, which began three days ago, now spans over 600 hectares along the border of Belgium and the Netherlands.
Firefighters are struggling to contain the flames as the terrain remains difficult to access. The reserve’s mix of heathland and pine forest has provided ample fuel, turning the fire into a rapidly moving wall of smoke and heat. Thick, acrid plumes are currently drifting toward nearby residential zones, prompting local authorities to issue air quality warnings for residents in the Antwerp province.
The regional fire commander, speaking from the scene, confirmed that while no casualties have been reported, the ecological damage is already extensive. “We are dealing with a fire that reacts instantly to every gust of wind,” he told reporters. “Ground crews are exhausted, and we are relying heavily on aerial support to create firebreaks before the heat peaks again this afternoon.”
Climate experts point to a prolonged drought across Western Europe as the primary culprit. While the region typically sees high humidity, a lack of significant rainfall over the last six weeks has turned the forest floor into a tinderbox.
Local officials have shuttered all hiking and cycling paths within the park until further notice. Police are currently investigating the cause of the initial ignition, though they haven’t ruled out human error or an abandoned campfire as a potential starting point.
For now, the priority remains protecting the perimeter of the nearby villages. With temperatures expected to rise through the weekend, the prospect of containing the blaze before it breaches the northern border remains the primary challenge for the hundreds of responders on the ground.
