The EU has deployed aircraft, firefighters and satellite mapping support to France and Spain after wildfires triggered evacuations affecting more than 300,000 people across the two countries.
France has received seven planes and four helicopters from Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey, with most of the aircraft coming from the EU’s rescEU firefighting fleet, the European Commission announced on Monday.
Spain has been sent six planes from Greece, Italy and Turkey, alongside 134 personnel and 41 vehicles from Portugal.
The EU’s Copernicus satellite programme is producing rapid emergency maps to support crews on the ground.
A liaison officer from the European Commission has been deployed to Bordeaux, and the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in contact with French and Spanish authorities to assess further needs.
How EU assistance is organised
Firefighting teams from other European countries had been pre-positioned in France and Spain ahead of this year’s wildfire season, allowing them to reinforce national responders immediately once the fires began, the Commission said.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes during the wildfires, Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality Hadja Lahbib said.
Under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, requests for help are shared with 37 participating countries and the European Commission coordinates and co-finances deployments offered by states.
If national offers are not enough, the EU can use rescEU — its strategic reserve — which includes 22 planes and five helicopters.
