Lithuanian Firefighters Head to France Amid Southern Europe Wildfires; Tourists Unfazed

Lithuania is dispatching firefighters to aid France in its struggle against extensive wildfires that have scorched approximately 115,000 hectares. The rescue team is set to depart on Saturday. Meanwhile, travel agencies in Lithuania observe no shift in tourist behavior, with travelers continuing their plans to visit Southern Europe despite the ongoing crisis.

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There all my family, all my grandchildren are, but we are far from those fires, in the completely opposite direction. So it will be seen how I return.

"All my family, all my grandchildren are there, but we are far from those fires, in the completely opposite direction," one woman at the airport said, indicating she would see how things develop upon her return. Another traveler, on vacation for two weeks, admitted to not following the news, stating, "You know, during holidays, we don't read anything, we don't care about what's happening."

Travel specialists confirm this trend. Vaidotas Oldenburg, director of "Labas, pasauli," noted, "Our country's residents have traveled and continue to travel. The situation, as far as we know from tour operators, is under control." Audrius Morkūnas, a Lithuanian guide living in Crete where fires rage in the southern part of the island, urged against hyperbole. "Imagine if a fire were happening in Ariogala. Would life stop in Kaunas or Kaišiadorys? People see the name Crete and think all of Crete is burning," he explained.

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You know, during holidays, we don't read anything, we don't care about what's happening.

For those traveling independently, experts stress the importance of self-assessment and caution. "When a traveler goes independently, without any connection to a tour operator, consumers are not entitled to compensation in such cases," explained Toma Žiurkutė, head of the Services Department at the State Consumer Rights Protection Service. Žydrė Gavelienė, head of "ESTRAVEL," advised maintaining a communication channel for emergencies, even while on vacation. "It's very pleasing that travelers are taking out additional insurance for such situations. If there are extra costs, like changing hotels, these risks can be managed," she said.

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Our country's residents have traveled and continue to travel. The situation, as far as we know from tour operators, is under control.

Morkūnas concluded with a plea against panic: "It's not an earthquake or a fire that is terrible, but panic is worse. In panic, people trample each other. So let's stop panicking, gather information, and share it with each other without spreading panic." Specialists emphasized relying on official reports and maintaining a calm assessment of the situation.

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Imagine if a fire were happening in Ariogala. Would life stop in Kaunas or Kaišiadorys? People see the name Crete and think all of Crete is burning.