The EU has deployed aircraft, helicopters and firefighters to Belgium and Spain after both countries requested help to tackle wildfires.
Two planes from the EU’s shared firefighting fleet, known as rescEU, were sent from Sweden to Belgium, alongside two helicopters from the Netherlands, two from Norway and two from Germany, the Commission informed on Monday.
Local crews have been battling a blaze in the Hautes Fagnes area, where more than 3,000 hectares have burned so far.
In Spain, 104 ground firefighters and 36 vehicles from France have been sent to support operations in the Aragón region, where close to 16,000 hectares have already burned.
Countries can request assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism — a system that coordinates support from EU states and participating countries when national resources come under pressure.
Satellite maps and coordination support
The EU is also providing satellite mapping to help emergency services assess burned areas and organise their response, according to the Commission.
It said the Copernicus Emergency Management Service is active for wildfires in Belgium, Spain, Greece, Germany, Montenegro, Albania, France and Italy, producing rapid maps for authorities.
Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said: “No country should face wildfires alone. Through our Civil Protection Mechanism, Europe is moving aircraft, helicopters and firefighters quickly to where they are needed most. This weekend in Belgium and Spain, European solidarity was on the ground again.”
The 2026 wildfire season has been “exceptionally severe”, with the area burned by the end of July at around two and a half times the usual level in Europe, according to figures cited by the Commission from the EU’s forest fire information system.
Requests for help are handled through the Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre, which receives appeals, coordinates offers from countries taking part, and supports deployments.
