Firefighters push to ‘encircle’ Belgian wildfire

Firefighters launched a push Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to encircle Belgium’s largest wildfire in a century. The blaze grew to 3,000 hectares, forcing evacuations near the German border. Spokesperson Nicolas Yernaux said, “We are trying to definitively encircle the fire today.” Rain and wind continue to hamper crucial air support operations.