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Europe had its share of wildfires recently, and there is still no clear end to it, as the disaster continues to ravage swathes of France and Spain.
Experts in the European Union are monitoring the latest developments at the emergency coordination centre in Brussels, while crews on the ground battle to contain the blazes.
These EU officials are playing a vital role, as they are responsible for reallocating limited resources across Europe to ensure the right equipment is delivered on time to where it is needed.
“The team is monitoring the situation, monitoring the risk in France, how it will develop, and is in continuous contact with the French authorities to see whether they need additional support,” Maria Zuber, the head of the unit, explained on Wednesday.
The EU’s emergency response capacity pools assets like water-bombing aircraft, helicopters, and fire engines from across the bloc’s 27 member states and 10 partner nations, including the Western Balkans and Turkey.
When disasters break out, from wildfires in France to an earthquake in Venezuela, officials in Brussels help coordinate available aid to match requests from affected countries.
Since France requested EU assistance last week, aircraft from countries ranging from Slovakia and Slovenia to Portugal and Turkey have deployed to the southwest of the country.
“We still have some gaps, so we are looking,” Zuber said. “Just last night, Serbia offered additional helicopters.”
EU urges member states to place additional equipment on standby
The fires raging in France and Spain this year are the latest to sweep across parts of Europe, as scientists attribute intensifying heatwaves to human-driven climate change.
This year’s heat extremes have dried out vegetation that had flourished during previous wet spells, creating tinderbox conditions.
As this annual threat escalates, the EU is bolstering its resources by purchasing its own aircraft and urging member states to place additional equipment on standby.
In Brussels, dozens of officials work on a rotating roster to maintain 24/7 oversight of emerging crises worldwide.
Throughout the summer, they are joined by around 25 weather and fire specialists from EU member states, who assess how blazes may spread and identify where new ones could erupt.
“We have implemented mechanisms that have been improved over time, as we recognised that forest fires were becoming an increasing challenge in recent years,” said Borja Miguelez, the deputy head of the emergency centre.
“We have increased the availability of aerial resources and enhanced the technical capacity of the teams managing the emergency response.”
Although concurrent fires in France and Spain are placing heavy strain on ground crews and equipment, Miguelez notes that the EU has so far fulfilled every request for aid.
However, with further extreme heat expected over the coming days, fire warnings are surging in other regions, which could push demand higher.
“Today we’re seeing two forest fires on a very, very large scale, but we’re also remaining very vigilant for the future, because summer isn’t over yet, and we’re now set to experience another heatwave,” Miguelez said.
“So we’re remaining very alert about what might lie ahead as well.”