Cyprus: Cyprus has joined the European response to the severe wildfires affecting France by deploying two rescEU firefighting aircraft, as the European Commission stepped up assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), the European Commission has announced.
According to Cyprus News Agency, France activated the Mechanism on 5 July following multiple large wildfires burning simultaneously across the country. In response, the Commission mobilised four rescEU firefighting aircraft from Sweden and Cyprus, which are expected to arrive in the affected areas today.
Portugal activated the Mechanism on 3 July after devastating wildfires broke out across the country. Within hours of the request, 118 firefighters and 45 vehicles from Spain arrived on the ground, while three rescEU firefighting aircraft from Italy and Spain were also deployed.
The Commission noted that this year's wildfire season has seen a record deployment of European firefighting resources. A total of 777 firefighters from 14 European countries are already, or will soon be, strategically pre-positioned in high-risk areas across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. In parallel, the EU's rescEU fleet has 22 firefighting aircraft and five helicopters on standby to assist Member States facing major wildfire emergencies.
Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said that as Portugal and France face an extreme wildfire threat during the ongoing heatwave, "every minute matters."
She said the EU Civil Protection Mechanism had once again delivered rapid assistance where it was most needed, with aircraft, ground teams, and vehicles from Sweden, Cyprus, Italy, and Spain already supporting emergency crews. She stressed that Europe stands united in protecting lives, communities, livelihoods, and the natural environment.