The European Commission announced on Monday that EU countries are ramping up their assistance to Greece in the fight against forest fires that have ravaged the country’s mainland and certain islands.
According to a statement, European Union governments have deployed nine planes, 1,000 firefighters, and 200 vehicles.
France, Germany, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia increased their resources and sent additional firefighting units to Greece, in addition to those already present from France and other EU countries.
In addition, EU assistance is being used to fight fires in Italy, as well as in neighbouring non-EU countries such as North Macedonia, Albania, and Turkey, according to the commission.
“As many flames impact various countries simultaneously, we are mobilizing one of Europe’s largest-ever shared firefighting operations,” said Janez Lenarcic, the EU commission for disaster management.
“I am grateful to all of the countries that have offered assistance for their practical support. Our sympathies are with all those who have been impacted, as well as the first responders who are putting their lives on the line to fight the fires.”
