Like other Northern European countries not previously fire-prone, Belgium is facing an increasing risk of wildfires due to expected rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing precipitation patterns altering the fire landscape. In its Belgian National Risk Assessment (2023-2026), the National Crisis Center classifies wildfires as a high-probability risk, underscoring the need for improved preparedness and response strategies. Cerac, together with the National Geographic Institute, has carried out an analysis aimed at providing an initial assessment of the risk of wildfires in Belgium. Some of our main findings corroborate Gan’s conclusions, recently published in Science: "Continuous monitoring of activity, effects, and drivers of wildfire can provide early warning. Expanding the capacity for rapid integration, processing, and sharing of wildfire data in different regions from various sources could inform more-accurate model development and guide wildfire management decision-making.”
More about the wildfire risk in Belgium and our main recommendations: Is Belgium ready for more frequent and intense wildfires? | CERAC