Europe’s Biggest Firefighting Force Deployed as Wildfires Expose Prevention Gap
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As wildfires sweep southern Europe, the EU has deployed its largest-ever shared firefighting force, but the escalating crisis highlights a widening gap between emergency response and long-term wildfire prevention.
Portugal and France activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, with France receiving four rescEU firefighting aircraft from Sweden and Cyprus. Portugal was reinforced with 118 firefighters, 45 vehicles from Spain, and three rescEU aircraft from Italy and Spain.
“We have regular wake-up calls, but this one is the biggest in the last couple of years,” said Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, stressing that “Europe stands together.”
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), the EU recorded 1,407 wildfires by 30 July 2026, scorching nearly 435,000 hectares and releasing an estimated 17.98 million tonnes of CO₂. While below last year’s record season, the figures remain above the 20-year average, with forecasters warning of “very extreme” fire conditions across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece.
The Commission says this summer’s operation is its largest since rescEU began in 2022, with 777 firefighters from 14 countries, 22 aircraft and five helicopters pre-positioned before fires erupted. However, while Brussels coordinates and funds the response, responsibility for tackling wildfires on the ground remains with national authorities.
