Portugal, Greece, Italy send firefighters and aircraft to aid Spain's wildfire fight

Spain is receiving significant support from Portugal, Greece, and Italy to combat severe wildfires raging in the Madrid and Ávila regions. A joint task force comprising 176 personnel, 41 vehicles, and 4 Canadair aircraft has been deployed following a request through the EU's European Civil Protection Mechanism.

Portugal is leading the international effort, contributing the largest contingent of 129 personnel and 41 specialized vehicles. This ground force, including bulldozers, command vehicles, light and heavy tenders, and support units, began its operations Sunday after arriving in Navaluenga, Ávila. The Portuguese contingent also includes a mobile command post and a UAS vehicle.

Greece is supporting the operation with 33 personnel, two Canadair water-bombing aircraft, and an additional support plane. Italy has also dispatched 14 personnel and two Canadair aircraft, which joined the efforts on Saturday.

The deployment aims to bolster Spain's firefighting capabilities as it battles the intense blazes across critical areas.