EU organises firefighting teams and fleet of aircraft to support wildfire-hit countries

European Commission - Press release EU organises firefighting teams and fleet of aircraft to support wildfire-hit countries Brussels, 26 May 2025 To prepare for the increased wildfire risk during the upcoming summer months, the EU has put together teams of firefighters and aircraft to help European countries affected by wildfires. To quickly support local fire brigades, throughout July and August, almost 650 firefighters from 14 European countries will be strategically positioned in key high-risk locations in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. They will boost the number of firefighters in each country. In addition, 22 firefighting airplanes and 4 helicopters will be 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. These assets come on top of national capacities. Overview of EU supported summer fleet France: Four medium amphibious airplanes and one helicopter. Greece: Four medium amphibious airplanes. Croatia: Two medium amphibious airplanes. Italy: Two medium amphibious airplanes. Spain: Two medium amphibious airplanes. Sweden: Four light planes. Portugal: Two light planes. Cyprus: Two light planes. Czechia: Two helicopters. Slovakia: One helicopter. In addition, a further 19 ground firefighting teams, of around 30 firefighters each, and one advisory and assessment team, are ready...