In a statement by the European Commission, it was noted that the ongoing forest fires in France and Spain have led to one of the largest evacuation operations in Europe, displacing more than 300,000 people in the two countries. The statement emphasized that 7 planes and 4 helicopters from Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and Turkey have been deployed in France, with most of the aircraft being part of the rescEU firefighting fleet.
The statement highlighted that when a country requests assistance under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the request is communicated to the 37 countries participating in the mechanism, and participating countries provide support in the form of planes, helicopters, firefighting teams, equipment, or experts according to their capabilities. The EU Commission coordinates this support and contributes to its financing.
Officials noted that more than 98,000 hectares have burned in France since the beginning of the year, and the fires in the Gironde, Landes, and Var regions have not yet been brought under control. Evacuation efforts are also ongoing in the settlements affected by the forest fire in Spain's Avila region.
