A fast-moving wildfire in western Germany has forced the evacuation of roughly 1,800 people from the village of Gey, part of the Hürtgenwald municipality near the Belgian border, after flames advanced to within 400 metres of homes. Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation around 4 a.m. on Thursday after a shift in wind direction pushed the blaze closer overnight. The municipality has declared a major emergency.
Germany's Nina warning app issued its highest alert level, "extreme danger", urging residents to take only essential belongings, identification, and medication. A reception centre was opened at a primary school in nearby Straß, and the evacuation proceeded without incidents. No injuries have been reported.
The fire, which broke out Thursday afternoon and has scorched about 25 hectares of forest, prompted helicopter water drops that were suspended after dark. The cause remains unclear. Road closures are in place on the B399 between Gey and Großhau.