Forest fires: EU triggers Civil Protection Mechanism

Brussels – As wildfires begin to affect multiple countries across Europe, the EU’s prepositioned firefighters have already started battling the flames on the ground, thanks to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. In Greece, firefighters from Bulgaria have worked alongside their Greek counterparts in Halkidiki to battle fires this week. Romanian firefighters stationed in southern France have also assisted local French teams in responding to a fire near Perpignan.

 These examples are part of the EU’s summer forest fire preparedness plan, where nearly 650 firefighters from 14 European countries have been strategically positioned in key high-risk locations in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.

Additionally, 22 firefighting aircraft and four helicopters are stationed in 10 Member States to intervene in case of need. Coordinated and co-financed via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, these resources will help mitigate risks and enable a faster and more robust crisis response, the European Commission emphasized. These assets build upon national capacities.