The European Commission announced that they will be sending emergency support to Greece and Albania to assist in tackling severe wildfires. Greece will receive both aerial and ground firefighting resources from other European countries through the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism. This includes firefighting planes from Italy, a helicopter from France, and additional firefighting teams from various countries. Albania will receive a multipurpose military plane from Romania capable of carrying up to 6 tonnes of water. EU funds amounting to €600 million will be used to increase aerial firefighting capacity, with twelve new planes to be purchased and sent to six EU member states.
European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, emphasized the importance of acquiring aircraft to protect citizens in Europe, not just in Croatia and Greece. Wildfires continue to rage in Greece, where firefighters are struggling to contain a blaze that has spread across Mount Pendeli and into the suburbs of Athens. In Albania, emergency services are working to extinguish fires in and around the village of Mesopotam, with two families already evacuated.
Authorities in both countries have attributed the increase in wildfires to climate change, leading to bigger and more frequent blazes during hot, dry summers. The EU’s swift response to the crisis underscores the importance of international cooperation in managing natural disasters and protecting communities from the devastating impact of wildfires.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com
