The European Commission, in its quest to prepare for massive wildfires this season, initiated on Monday a fortified fleet of 11 firefighting airplanes and 6 helicopters under the rescEU system, which is aimed at tackling natural disasters, while issuing guidelines to member states to enhance fire prevention measures
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st June, 2021) The European Commission, in its quest to prepare for massive wildfires this season, initiated on Monday a fortified fleet of 11 firefighting airplanes and 6 helicopters under the rescEU system, which is aimed at tackling natural disasters, while issuing guidelines to member states to enhance fire prevention measures.
"To be prepared for any large-scale wildfires this season, the European Commission has set up a strengthened European fleet of 11 firefighting planes and 6 helicopters hosted across Member States under the rescEU system. The Commission also issued guidelines to Member States to strengthen their fire prevention measures," the commission said in a press release.
Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said that forest fire has constantly threatened Europe annually, and the region must prepare to do all that is necessary to reduce the impact thereof. Lenarčič added that the proposed firefighting fleet, which would be deployed at any time during the forest fire season, would be strategically positioned in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.
According to Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius, "Wildfires are a growing threat to forests, which are home to 80% of all the known plants and animals on Earth." He further acknowledged that the new commission guidelines reveal prevention measures built on good governance, proper planning, effective forest management, and sources of EU funding, adding that the region must develop the capacity to respond quickly in the event of a wildfire outbreak.
The risk of forest fires this year is predicted to be above average, with temperatures projected to be above the median from June to September in the Mediterranean region. The season might also see less rainfall, especially in central Europe and areas around the Mediterranean. This can intensify the risk of wildfires in both fire-prone areas and new regions of Europe.
