The European Union is strengthening the Civil Protection Mechanism to prepare for firefighting and protect communities in member countries. In detail, among the measures adopted in this regard, there is the anticipation of the positioning of firefighters and the creation of a fleet of aircraft to put out the fires. It is a move aimed at preparing for the next fire season in the woods.

This Summer, a fleet of 28 aircraft and four firefighting helicopters was established in 10 Member States. Furthermore, 556 firefighters from 12 countries will be strategically positioned in key locations such as France, Greece, Portugal and Spain, all countries heavily affected by the scourge of forest fires, ready to help local forces.

For the near future, however, the European Commission has allocated a total of 600 million euros to facilitate the purchase of 12 new firefighting aircraft, which will be distributed among six member states of the Union. Furthermore, Brussels will also finance nine helicopters in the future to strengthen its firefighting fleet.

On the subject, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.