Smoke and a strong smell of burning were noticeable on Sunday 16 August in several parts of Luxembourg. They were caused by the ongoing fire in the Hautes Fagnes, in eastern Belgium, with weather conditions helping the smoke to spread beyond the area directly affected by the fire.
In light of the situation, an inter-ministerial assessment team met on Sunday afternoon to assess the potential consequences for Luxembourg. The Luxembourg authorities have stated that they are monitoring the fire’s progress in coordination with their partners and are in contact with the Belgian authorities.
On Sunday, no significant health impact on the population’ had been identified. Exposure to smoke may, however, cause irritation to the respiratory tract and lead to breathing difficulties, particularly in vulnerable individuals.
Pollution levels spike in Moselle
Residents affected by the smoke or bothered by the smell have been advised to close their doors and windows and to limit their exposure. Ventilation or air-exchange systems that draw in outside air may be temporarily switched off to prevent smoke from entering homes. Once the nuisance has subsided and outdoor conditions allow, it is recommended that you ventilate the premises again.
More than 2,700 hectares have been affected by the fire in the Hautes Fagnes, where more than 250 firefighters and around 50 vehicles remained on duty throughout the night from Saturday to Sunday, according to the Walloon Region. Luxembourg is also taking part in the operations on the ground. Since Saturday afternoon, 11 volunteer firefighters from the CGDIS have been deployed as reinforcements in Belgium and fought the still-active blazes throughout the night. A relief team was due to arrive on Sunday, with their deployment currently scheduled to continue until sometime on Monday.
On the French side, vigilance is also required. In Meurthe-et-Moselle, the prefecture had raised the forest and vegetation fire risk to “severe” across the entire department. In Moselle, smoke from the Belgian fire also caused a spike in “combustion”-related air pollution on Sunday, prompting the prefecture to implement precautionary and emergency measures.
How the situation develops depends, in particular, on weather conditions and wind direction. Forecasts available on Sunday indicated that the wind was expected to gradually shift to a northerly direction from the evening onwards, with a possible shift in the smoke and the areas affected. Disruption may also occur intermittently, depending on the winds. Finally, the authorities would like to remind the public that the mere presence of a burnt smell caused by the smoke does not justify making a call in the absence of any immediate danger. However, anyone who spots a fire, a dangerous situation or a person in distress must call 112 immediately.
