Rain, rising humidity halt advance of Belgian forest fire toward German border

A forest fire that broke out in a Belgian nature reserve and scorched roughly 3,000 hectares has been stopped from advancing toward the German border after rainfall eased conditions, a fire service spokesman at the command center in Kalterherberg, part of the border town of Münstereifel, said. Higher humidity and calmer winds made firefighting operations easier, the spokesman told reporters on Tuesday. Recorded as Belgium's largest forest fire on record, the blaze reached within 300 meters of the German border on Sunday night, prompting the precautionary evacuation of 30 people from 17 homes. Fire crews have been dousing the meadows between the fire and nearby residential areas with water in an attempt to prevent the flames from jumping into populated zones. German firefighting teams joined the operation after Belgium requested assistance on Monday afternoon, dispatching water tankers through Kalterherberg overnight. A nearby school has been converted into a temporary shelter for displaced residents. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said changing wind direction and speed in the eastern operations had complicated suppression efforts, though conditions improved overnight. No further details on containment levels or next operational steps were immediately available.