Wildfires expand in Germany and France amid severe dry conditions

Firefighters across Germany and southwestern France continue battling several major forest fires driven by persistent heat and dry conditions.

In southwestern Germany, a wildfire near Schramberg in the Black Forest expanded over steep slopes, preventing ground crews from directly reaching hotspots. Along the Belgian border, German military helicopters assisted local responders at the High Fens nature reserve, halting the blaze's advance toward German territory after heavy smoke prompted 30 precautionary evacuations in Monschau. In North Rhine-Westphalia, emergency services reported substantial progress containing a 300-hectare fire in the Hürtgenwald.

In southwestern France, a wildfire in the Landes department burned approximately 1,580 hectares of pine forest after reigniting overnight. Authorities confirmed 650 preventive evacuations, adding that the flames caused no residential damage.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau