Hautes Fagnes peat fires prompt automated sprinkler testing and strict access enforcement

Firefighters are struggling to contain a peat fire in the Hautes Fagnes region, where flames continue to smolder beneath the surface. To prevent reignition, emergency services are testing an automated sprinkler system. The setup includes 90 sprinkler heads placed every 20 meters along a two-kilometer front, capable of discharging nine cubic meters of water per minute. The equipment, borrowed from German firefighters, draws water from a nearby lake.

In response to the ongoing danger, authorities have implemented a zero-tolerance policy for visitors entering restricted zones. Despite extensive signage and barriers, many pedestrians and cyclists have attempted to bypass closures. Police and Nature and Forest division agents are conducting joint patrols to enforce these restrictions. Violators face minimum fines of 150 euros, with potential penalties reaching several thousand euros for those who ignore warnings or provide false information.