BRUSSELS -- A record-breaking wildfire in eastern Belgium had scorched about 2,700 hectares in the High Fens area by Saturday evening, forcing around 600 residents to evacuate, according to local authorities and media reports.
The office of the governor of Liege said the burned area had expanded from around 1,600 hectares earlier in the day, as the blaze continued to spread.
Local authorities have confirmed the fire as the largest on record in Belgium. Data from the European Forest Fire Information System showed that a major wildfire in 2011 burned nearly 1,400 hectares.
The blaze broke out at around 2 pm Friday in the High Fens nature reserve near the German border, with firefighting operations continuing into Saturday.
Around 600 people have been evacuated from nearby communities, according to local media, as changing winds and heavy smoke threatened surrounding areas. Tourists staying in the area were advised to leave, while a children's summer camp was also evacuated.
