Belgium records more wildfires this year than entire 2025: Study

Belgium has already recorded more wildfires in the first seven months of 2026 than in the entire 2025, according to data from Ghent University released on Wednesday.

A total of 117 wildfires have been recorded in Belgium so far this year, surpassing the 115 cases documented throughout 2025, according to Dutch-language public broadcaster VRT.

The figure is also nearly double the annual average of 62 wildfires recorded between 2010 and 2025.

"The impact of climate change is not limited to the countries around the Mediterranean. The risk is rising in Belgium as well," researchers from Ghent University said.

Scientists said the growing number of dry periods caused by climate change is creating more days with elevated wildfire risk.

Forests, heathlands, grasslands, dunes, and wetlands can become highly vulnerable to fires during prolonged droughts.

The province of Limburg has been the hardest hit, accounting for slightly more than one-fifth of all wildfires recorded this year.

It is followed by Namur with 17%, and West Flanders and Antwerp with 14% each. Walloon Brabant recorded the lowest number of incidents.

More than 60% of Belgium's wildfires this year occurred in Flanders.

So far this year, wildfires have destroyed 31 hectares of nature reserves in Belgium, an area equivalent to around 60 football fields.

Researchers said more than 95% of wildfires are caused by human activity, either through negligence or deliberate arson.