The largest EU civil protection operation helps Sweden fight forest fires

Over 360 fire-fighting personnel, 7 planes, 6 helicopters, and 67 vehicles were mobilised through the European Civil Protection Mechanism in the past three weeks to assist Sweden in combating unprecedented forest fires.

This is the largest European Civil Protection operation for forest fires in the last decade and the single biggest operation on forest fires in terms of deployment of staff. The operation included 815 flying hours and 8 822 drops of water.

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides currently visiting Sweden, said: “Once again, Member States showed tangible European solidarity through the Civil Protection Mechanism. The devastating forest fires in Sweden have highlighted once again the impact of climate change and that we are facing a new reality. I deeply thank all Member States for their assistance and solidarity. Now is the time to collectively learn from these tragedies, and strive to strengthen Europe’s Civil Protection Mechanism, so that we are collectively better prepared and stronger in responding to multiple disasters across the continent.”

The EU has coordinated the collective support to Sweden from Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, Denmark, Portugal and Poland. Austria, Czech Republic, and Turkey also proposed to help. Additionally, 37 satellite maps were produced by the EU’s Copernicus programme.

The EU is also funding €1.15 million in transportation costs for the mobilisation of support to Sweden from other European countries.

During his visit to Sweden, Commissioner Stylianides is traveling – along with Sweden’s Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Mr. Morgan Johansson – to the areas mostly affected by the forest fires. He will meet some of the fire-fighters mobilised via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, who have worked tirelessly for the past three weeks.

Original source: European Commision
Published on 6 August 2018