To prepare for the increased risk of forest fires during the coming summer months, the EU has formed teams of firefighters and aircraft to assist European countries that could be affected by forest fires. To quickly support local fire brigades, some 650 firefighters from 14 European countries will be strategically positioned in key high-risk locations […]
Europe unprepared to cope with rapidly increasing climate risks, EEA says
The extreme heat, drought, forest fires and floods experienced in recent years will worsen in Europe, even under optimistic global warming scenarios, and will affect living conditions across the continent. The EEA is publishing for the first time the European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), which will help identify policy priorities for climate change adaptation and […]
Forest fires in Greece: EU mobilises firefighting assistance
Greece is currently facing a very intense wildfire season as the country faces the longest heatwave in its recorded history. The EU civil protection mechanism is channelling support to help combat forest fires. Following a request from the Greek authorities, the European Union and its member states have mobilised: planes from the #rescEU fleet based in […]
EU support to member states to fight forest fires
The Council adopted its position on a draft law that extends the deadline that will allow the Commission to provide financing of firefighting planes and helicopters to support member states in fighting forest fires. rescEU In 2019, rescEU was created as a reserve of European civil protection capacities which would step in to help member […]
European Forest Fire report: Three of the worst fire seasons on record took place in the last six years
Today, the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published the latest edition of its Annual Report on Forest Fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in 2021. It concludes that last year’s fire season was the second worst in the EU territory in terms of burnt area (since records began in 2006), after 2017 when over […]
Forest fires: €170 million to reinforce rescEU fleet
Following a record-breaking forest fire season in Europe, the Commission is proposing €170 million from the EU budget to reinforce its rescEU ground and aerial assets starting from the summer of 2023. The rescEU transitional fleet would therefore have a total of 22 planes, 4 helicopters as well as more pre-positioned ground teams. As from […]
Forest fires: EU sends assistance to combat fires at the Czech-German border
The European Union has swiftly mobilised two firefighting airplanes and two helicopters to Czechia where a large forest fire is burning in the north of the country. Following yesterday’s request for assistance, Poland and Slovakia are each operating one helicopter in the country. The EU is mobilising 2 firefighting planes from its rescEU fleet that […]
Forest fires: European Commission puts its firefighting fleet in place for the 2022 season
As of today, the EU’s fleet of firefighting aircraft will be operational to help European countries fight forest fires throughout peak season. The fleet is part of rescEU, a European reserve of resources that responds to emergencies. Positioned in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Sweden, 12 firefighting airplanes and 1 firefighting helicopter will be […]