EU provides firefighting support as wildfires force mass evacuations in France and Spain

The European Union has increased its emergency response to help France and Spain tackle devastating wildfires that have forced more than 300,000 people to leave their homes

Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, aircraft, helicopters, firefighters and specialist equipment have been deployed to support national emergency services as they battle some of the largest wildfires Europe has seen this year.

The fires have spread rapidly across affected regions, fuelled by dry conditions and high temperatures. Emergency crews continue working to contain the blazes while protecting homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. Large-scale evacuations have been carried out as authorities seek to keep residents out of harm’s way.

Aircraft and firefighters sent across Europe

The EU has coordinated a major cross-border response by bringing together resources from several member states and participating countries.

In France, seven firefighting aircraft and four helicopters have been deployed from Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Türkiye. Many of these aircraft are part of the rescEU firefighting fleet, which is maintained to provide additional support during major emergencies.

Spain has also received significant assistance, with six firefighting aircraft arriving from Greece, Italy and Türkiye. Portugal has further strengthened its response by sending 134 emergency personnel and 41 vehicles to assist Spanish firefighters on the ground.

The deployment shows how European countries work together during large-scale emergencies by sharing specialist resources when national capabilities come under pressure.

Satellite technology supporting the response

Alongside aircraft and emergency teams, the EU’s Copernicus satellite service is providing rapid emergency mapping to help authorities monitor the fires and plan firefighting operations.

The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre remains in close contact with officials in both France and Spain to assess ongoing needs and coordinate additional assistance if required. A European Commission liaison officer has also been deployed to Bordeaux to support cooperation between national authorities and international teams.

Preparations made before the fire season

Some of the international response was already in place before the current fires began. As part of the EU’s seasonal wildfire preparedness programme, firefighting teams from several European countries had been pre-positioned in both France and Spain ahead of the summer months.

This planning enabled international crews to join local emergency services immediately once the fires intensified, reducing delays in mobilising assistance during the critical early stages of the crisis.

How the EU Civil Protection Mechanism works

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism allows countries facing major disasters to request assistance from a network of 37 participating nations. Once a request is made, countries can offer available aircraft, helicopters, firefighting teams, equipment or specialist experts, while the European Commission coordinates and helps finance their deployment.
If national contributions aren’t enough, the EU can activate rescEU, which is its emergency reserve.

The reserve currently includes a fleet of 22 firefighting planes and five helicopters that can be deployed to support countries experiencing severe emergencies.

As firefighting operations continue across France and Spain, European authorities remain prepared to provide further assistance if conditions worsen. With thousands of emergency personnel working around the clock and international support continuing to arrive, efforts remain focused on containing the fires, protecting communities and helping affected regions recover.