Expansion of rescEU aerial firefighting fleet for wildfire season announced
European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic has said that the rescEU aerial firefighting fleet will be doubled for this year’s wildfire season. The announcement was made Wednesday during the 10th anniversary celebration of the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Center.
The expanded rescEU firefighting aircraft reserve will now consist of 24 airplanes and 4 helicopters contributed by 10 member states. The breakdown of contributions is as follows:
Croatia: Two medium scooping airplanes
Cyprus: Two light planes
Czechia: Two helicopters
France: Two medium scooping airplanes and one helicopter
Germany: Two light planes
Greece: Two medium scooping airplanes, two light planes, and one helicopter
Italy: Two medium scooping airplanes and two light planes
Portugal: Two light planes
Spain: Two medium scooping airplanes
Sweden: Four light planes
Furthermore, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia have pledged to dispatch nearly 450 firefighters who will be prepositioned in Greece, France, and Portugal.
Greece’s Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection welcomed this development Wednesday, hailing it as a crucial step in strengthening Europe’s defense against wildfires.
The ministry emphasized the importance of bolstering European solidarity and effectively responding to the climate crisis’ impact. [Combined reports]
