Europe ablaze: Poland sends crews to aid wildfire fight

Poland is set to join an international coalition providing aid to European regions grappling with extensive wildfires, beginning this Saturday. The announcement was made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also noted that Romania and Greece have decided to prolong their existing support missions.

"While fires in France and Spain continue to destroy everything in their path, European solidarity knows no bounds," von der Leyen stated on platform X. She expressed gratitude for the courage and commitment of those involved in the firefighting efforts.

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While fires in France and Spain continue to destroy everything in their path, European solidarity knows no bounds.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed Poland's assistance to Spain, detailing that Polish firefighters and equipment will be transported via military CASA aircraft. This deployment is part of the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism, which has already dispatched 13 firefighting planes, four helicopters, 134 firefighters, and 41 fire trucks to France and Spain.

The scale of the wildfires across Europe is alarming. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), around 300,000 hectares have burned in Spain and France this year alone. France has recorded over 13,500 fires since January, affecting 116,000 hectares, the highest figure since record-keeping began. In Spain, the first half of the year saw 153,000 hectares burned, a sixfold increase compared to the same period last year.

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Thank you for your courage and commitment.