Authorities ordered the evacuation of a village in western Germany on Friday as a wildfire spread towards the community, putting about 1,800 residents at risk.
The entire district of Gey in the Hürtgenwald municipality in North Rhine-Westphalia was to be "evacuated immediately," the municipality said. Germany's NINA emergency warning app issued its highest alert level, "extreme danger," as the fire moved closer to the residential area.
Residents were told to take essential belongings, identification documents and medication with them. Residents were advised to cover their mouth and nose with a cloth, clothing or a mask if necessary.
An evacuation centre was set up at a primary school in nearby Strass.
About 25 hectares of forest have been burning since Thursday afternoon, an area roughly equivalent to 35 football pitches. The municipality declared the situation a major emergency.
A police spokeswoman had said overnight that the flames were about 500 metres from Gey.