Several fire brigade units from the East Limburg zone responded on Thursday night to a wildfire in Hoge Kempen National Park, in Maasmechelen, with a smoke plume visible from miles away.
The fire brigade, which reached the area at about 9.00 p.m., described it as a significant heathland fire on the Mechelse Heide, impacting the areas of Maasmechelen and As. At least nine forest fire trucks and several tankers were deployed to the scene.
Residents affected by the smoke were advised to keep windows and doors shut and to disable ventilation systems.
At 11.00 p.m., East Limburg fire officials confirmed that the fire was still active, with smoke drifting toward Maasmechelen and Lanaken. Drones were being used to maintain an overview of the situation, and fire brigade measurement teams were actively assessing conditions.
Firefighters, police, medical services, and the Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB) were monitoring the situation closely at the site, manoeuvring vehicles along the road to As (N763) and turning onto Weg naar Heiwick to access the fire front.
