- A massive wildfire in Belgium has stopped its advance to the German border, firefighters say
- Reduced cargo shipping on rivers amid low water levels could impact construction supplies, associations say
Here is a roundup of top headlines from and about Germany on August 17, 2026:
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Precautionary evacuations in Monschau as Belgium fire rages
Several homes in the Eifel town of Monschau were evacuated overnight as a wildfire burning in Belgium’s High Fens nature reserve threatened to cross the border.
Around 30 residents from 17 homes were evacuated, with emergency accommodation set up at a nearby school.
However, by Monday morning the fire was said to have stopped its advance toward Germany amid weather conditions that are more favorable to firefighting efforts.
The fire had previously moved to within about 300 meters (984 feet) of the German border.
A spokesman for the local fire brigade said meadows between the fire and homes had been soaked with water for hours to help stop the spread of the flames.
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Although the recent (very) hot weather in Germany seems to be over for now, the wildfire risk remains high, as is shown by the massive blaze in neighboring Belgium.
Some streets in the border town of Monschau were evacuated late on Sunday as the flames threatened to enter German territory, but they have fortunately been successfully held back for now.
The persistent dry conditions continued to pose problems to cargo shipping on the Rhine and other rivers, with construction associations saying that supplies could be delayed and are becoming more expensive.
