Europe 1 with AFP 2:22 p.m., August 11, 2022, modified at 2:24 p.m., August 11, 2022
Four planes from the EU firefighting fleet have been sent to France from Greece and Sweden, following a request from the French authorities as forest fires ravage the south-west of the country in particular, a announced Thursday the European Commission.
Four planes from the EU firefighting fleet have been sent to France from Greece and Sweden, following a request from the French authorities as forest fires ravage the south-west of the country in particular, a announced Thursday the European Commission.
"The EU is in full solidarity with France"
In addition, firefighting teams from Germany, Poland, Austria and Romania are on their way to support French firefighters under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the Commission said.
"The EU stands in full solidarity when a country is confronted with an emergency situation," said European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic in a statement.
“European solidarity is at work!”, welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron in a tweet announcing this European aid.
Greece will dispatch two Canadair and Sweden two Air Tractor "during the day", specified the French presidency.
On the land side, Germany is sending 64 firefighters and 24 vehicles, expected from Thursday evening, she added.
The Polish reinforcements - 146 firefighters and 49 vehicles - will arrive Friday at midday.
Thousands of firefighters battle the blazes
The Commission also clarified that the EU's Copernicus satellite had been activated by Paris to collect essential data for first responders on burnt areas.
Thousands of firefighters are currently fighting in France against new blazes in forests completely dried out by heat waves and the historic lack of rain.
On Wednesday evening, eight major fires were burning in France, in Gironde (southwest), Maine-et-Loire (west), Jura (east), Drôme, Aveyron and Lozère (southeast), not to mention countless smaller fire starts every day from north to south of the country.