Around 1,800 people had to leave their homes in western Germany overnight as a wildfire spread nearby, officials said on Aug. 14, with helicopters and army equipment deployed to help battle the flames.
A district of the town of Huertgenwald near the Belgian and Dutch borders was evacuated after the fire expanded from 25 hectares (around 60 acres) to 300 hectares by Aug. 14 morning.
Residents were urged to "take only the most important personal items" with them as the fire draws nearer, a spokeswoman for the local district told AFP.
Around 300 emergency services personnel have been sent to try to put the fire out, the spokeswoman said, and two army tanks were also helping the effort.
One helicopter has been deployed with two more expected to join and firebreaks have been cut through the forest to stop the blaze spreading.
Many parts of Europe have experienced successive heatwaves and drought this summer, with wildfires breaking out across the continent, including in Germany.
The heatwave in late June saw Germany break its temperature record for three days in a row, hitting 41.7C.
