{"id":74386,"date":"2021-06-23T03:05:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T01:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cde.ual.es\/?p=74386"},"modified":"2021-07-06T11:53:39","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T09:53:39","slug":"european-aircraft-fleet-for-the-2021-forest-fire-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cde.ual.es\/en\/european-aircraft-fleet-for-the-2021-forest-fire-season\/","title":{"rendered":"European aircraft fleet for the 2021 forest fire season"},"content":{"rendered":"

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To be prepared for any large-scale wild fires this season, the European Commission has set up a European fleet* of 11 firefighting planes and 6 helicopters hosted across Member States under the rescEU system. The Commission also issued guidelines to Member States to strengthen their fire prevention measures.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenar\u010di\u010d<\/strong> said: “Every year, forest fires pose a significant disaster risk to the whole of Europe. The fire season is intense, long and the fire-prone areas are expanding northward. Ahead of this year’s \u00a0forest fire season, we must do all that is necessary to reduce the impact of fires. Our proposed rescEU firefighting fleet will include 11 planes and 6 helicopters, and can be readily deployed any time during this forest fire season. The fleet is strategically positioned in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Sweden, and I would like to thank these countries for their great cooperation. By working closely together at all levels, including through the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre and with rescEU, the EU will be able to prevent, prepare and respond to forest fires, both this year and in the future.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevi\u010dius <\/strong>added: \u201cWildfires are a growing threat to forests, which are home to 80% of all the known plants and animals on Earth. New Commission guidelines showcase prevention measures based on good governance, proper planning, effective forest management and sources of EU funding. Investment in prevention is key. At the same time, we must be sure to have the capacity to respond when wildfires do break out. This is where the EU Emergency Response and Coordination Centre plays a key role.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The season’s risk for forest fires is forecasted to be above average, with temperatures expected to be higher-than-average from June to September in the Mediterranean region. The season might also see less rainfall, especially in central Europe and many areas of the Mediterranean. This can increase the risk of wildfires in both fire-prone areas and new regions of Europe.<\/p>\n

rescEU firefighting capacities<\/strong><\/h3>\n