Nine aircraft deployed as international aerial operation intensifies over High Fens fire

Seven helicopters and two water-bombing aircraft were operating over the High Fens on Wednesday as firefighters sought to consolidate the perimeter around Belgium’s largest recorded wildfire.

The aerial operation is being coordinated from Spa airfield, which has become the temporary base for an unusually diverse multinational firefighting fleet. Aircraft from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are supporting crews working in the difficult forest and peatland terrain.

Two Norwegian firefighting helicopters were the first international aircraft to depart Spa on Wednesday, taking off at around 10:30. They were followed from 11:00 by the first of two German military helicopters.

The German contribution consists of two NH90 transport helicopters supplied by the Bundeswehr. Both are equipped with suspended “Bambi Buckets”, each capable of dropping approximately 2,000 litres of water per rotation. Germany initially scheduled the deployment for up to seven days.

Shortly after midday, a Royal Netherlands Air Force CH-47 Chinook also departed Spa. The heavy-lift helicopter is the largest rotorcraft involved in the operation and can carry approximately 7,600 litres of water in its firefighting bucket.

Two McDonnell Douglas MD902 Explorer helicopters from the Belgian Federal Police complete the rotary-wing deployment. One is carrying a bucket holding up to 1,000 litres of water, while the other is being used as an airborne coordination platform.

The division of duties is essential given the number and variety of aircraft operating in a relatively confined area. The coordinating helicopter monitors the operation, maintains separation between aircraft and helps direct water drops towards the sectors identified by the firefighting command.

Swedish Fire Boss aircraft refill in Germany

The two Swedish Air Tractor AT-802F Fire Boss aircraft also took off from Spa around midday.

Each amphibious aircraft can carry approximately 3,100 litres of water. Rather than returning to Spa after every drop, they refill by skimming across a suitable lake in neighbouring Germany, allowing them to collect a new load without landing.

Operating from a nearby water source significantly shortens the turnaround time. Under favourable conditions, Fire Boss aircraft can make repeated drops and deliver tens of thousands of litres of water per hour.

The Swedish aircraft were sent through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which Belgium activated after the fire rapidly exceeded the country’s own aerial firefighting capacity. Norway’s assistance was also arranged through the European mechanism. The European Commission said that two helicopters each had been offered by Norway, Germany and the Netherlands, in addition to the Swedish aircraft.

Earlier in the operation, a Czech UH-60 Black Hawk firefighting helicopter also assisted Belgium. Its shorter deployment had ended before Wednesday’s nine-aircraft operation.

Fire encircled but not yet under control

The fire, which began on Friday 14 August near Baelen, has affected approximately 3,000 hectares of forest, heathland and peat bog. It is the largest wildfire recorded in modern Belgian history.

Authorities said on Wednesday morning that firefighters had succeeded in encircling the affected area. This means that a defensive perimeter has been established around the fire, reducing the immediate risk of an uncontrolled advance. It does not mean that the fire has been extinguished or fully brought under control.

The main efforts on Wednesday were concentrated on the north-eastern and south-eastern sectors. The north-eastern flank, close to the German border, has been particularly difficult to reach from the ground.

Peat fires present an additional challenge because they can continue smouldering below the surface after visible flames have disappeared. Hotspots may subsequently reignite, meaning monitoring and damping-down operations could continue for an extended period.

Deployment could gradually be reduced

Liège provincial governor Hervé Jamar said that some of the resources assigned to the operation could be progressively withdrawn during Wednesday if the situation continued to improve.

Any reduction will depend on aerial reconnaissance, weather conditions and the absence of renewed fire activity along the perimeter. Rain and more favourable winds have helped firefighters limit the spread, but authorities remain cautious because of the size of the burned area and the possibility of underground hotspots.

For the moment, the multinational aerial force is continuing to concentrate water on the most difficult sections while ground teams reinforce the perimeter and search for remaining pockets of fire.

The operation demonstrates how Belgium, which does not operate dedicated water-bombing aircraft of its own, has had to combine the limited bucket capacity of Federal Police helicopters with specialised and heavy-lift aircraft supplied by European partners.

Sources: Belga; Norwegian Government; European Civil Protection deployment information; German Defence Ministry information reported by DPA.