Brussels: The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated 16 times during the current fire season, responding to multiple wildfires across Europe as the continent faces a heat wave and a high number of catastrophic wildfires, according to a European Commission press release. This marks a significant increase, as the number of activations for 2025 has already equaled the total activations for wildfires for the entire 2024 fire season.
According to Cyprus News Agency, in the past week alone, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania have called upon the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to combat forest fires, many occurring simultaneously. Notably, Spain activated the Mechanism for the first time ever for forest fires, prompting the European Commission to quickly mobilize two rescEU planes stationed in France.
Greece, having activated the Mechanism on August 12, will see the deployment of two Swedish rescEU helicopters currently in Bulgaria. Additionally, prepositioned firefighters from Czechia, Moldova, and Romania have joined efforts to extinguish the fires.
In Bulgaria, six countries-Czechia, Slovakia, France, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden-have mobilized aircraft via the Mechanism, including rescEU helicopters stationed in Sweden. Meanwhile, Albania has received rescEU aerial assets from Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, Czechia, and Slovakia.
Montenegro has benefited from rescEU assets stationed in Czechia, Croatia, and Italy, while Serbia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have deployed aircraft means as part of bilateral offers, with Austria offering ground firefighting teams.
The Commission also highlighted the activation of Copernicus for the fires in Greece, Spain, and Bulgaria, providing further support in managing the widespread wildfire crisis.