Belgian firefighters are working to encircle a wildfire the Guardian describes as the 'largest in a century', a blaze that grew over the weekend to about half the size of Manhattan.
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Key facts
- Belgian firefighters are working to encircle a major wildfire, described by the Guardian as the 'largest in a century'.
- The blaze grew over the weekend to roughly half the size of Manhattan, according to the Guardian.
- The fire has charred peatland, pine trees and hiking trails, the Guardian reported.
- Separately, earthquakes struck Granada, in southern Spain, on the same morning, according to the Guardian.
Firefighters in Belgium are pushing to encircle a wildfire described by the Guardian as the ‘largest in a century’ as they work to bring the blaze under control.
The fire has been charring peatland, pine trees and hiking trails, the Guardian reported. Over the weekend, the blaze grew to roughly half the size of Manhattan.
The effort to encircle the fire reflects a containment strategy aimed at stopping further spread across the affected landscape, which includes both forested areas and peatland.
In separate developments across Europe reported by the Guardian, the first images from earthquakes that struck Granada, in southern Spain, on the same morning began emerging on social media.
Andalusian president Juanma Moreno urged residents to maintain ‘maximum caution’, warning that more seismic movements and aftershocks may occur, according to the Guardian.
The wildfire and the earthquakes were among several events tracked in the Guardian’s live coverage of Europe on 18 August 2026.
Why it matters
The Guardian reports the fire has affected peatland, pine forest and hiking trails, indicating a significant impact on the landscape as crews work to contain it. Further details on the cause and full extent of the damage were not available in the sources.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Belgian wildfire?
According to the Guardian, the blaze grew over the weekend to roughly half the size of Manhattan.
What has the fire damaged?
The Guardian reports the fire has been charring peatland, pine trees and hiking trails.
What happened in Granada, Spain?
Earthquakes struck Granada on the same morning, and Andalusian president Juanma Moreno urged residents to maintain maximum caution as further seismic movements and aftershocks may occur, according to the Guardian.
Timeline
- Belgian firefighters push to encircle ‘largest wildfire in a century’ – as it happened
The Guardian World: The blaze charring peatland, pine trees and hiking trails grew over the weekend to half the size of Manhattan Some first pictures from this morning’s earthquakes in Granada are emerging on social media… Andalusian president Juanma Moreno urged residents to maintain “maximum cauti
- Belgian firefighters push to encircle ‘largest wildfire in a century’ – Europe live
The Guardian World: The blaze charring peatland, pine trees and hiking trails grew over the weekend to half the size of Manhattan Some first pictures from this morning’s earthquakes in Granada are emerging on social media… Andalusian president Juanma Moreno urged residents to maintain “maximum cauti