Fires: EU Protection Mechanism has already intervened 16 times this year, matching the total for all of 2024

Brussels – The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has already been activated 16 times so far this year, matching the total for the whole of 2024. These are the worrying numbers of the EU Fire Protection Mechanism, a large-scale coordination system of interventions to extinguish fires in the Union and any other country seeking help. 

A Commission spokeswoman explained today that last week, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to deal with forest fires, many of which are occurring simultaneously across Europe.

Yesterday, Spain activated the Mechanism for the first time in its history. The European Commission has quickly mobilized two planes stationed in France, which should be deployed today. 

Greece activated the Mechanism on 12 August. In response, the two Swedish rescEU helicopters currently in Bulgaria are expected to be deployed. Prepositioned firefighters from Czechia, Moldova, and Romania also took part in the efforts to put out the fires.

 In Bulgaria, six countries – Czechia, Slovakia, France, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden – mobilized aircraft via the Mechanism, including the rescEU helicopters stationed in Sweden.

In Albania, the Commission mobilized rescEU aerial assets from Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, Czechia, and Slovakia.

 In Montenegro, the Commission mobilised rescEU assets stationed in Czechia, Croatia, and Italy. Serbia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also deployed aircraft means as part of bilateral offers, and Austria offered ground firefighting teams.

The Mechanism is being activated as countries in Europe battle a heat wave accompanied by a high number of catastrophic wildfires around the continent.