EU sends firefighting aid to Belgium and Spain
The European Union has deployed emergency assistance to Belgium and Spain after both countries activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as wildfires continue to devastate parts of Europe, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.
In Belgium, two planes from the EU’s rescEU fleet were dispatched from Sweden, joined by two helicopters from the Netherlands, two from Norway and two from Germany. The reinforcements are supporting local crews battling blazes in the Hautes Fagnes, where more than 3,000 hectares have already burned.
In Spain, 104 French firefighters with 36 vehicles have been deployed to Aragón, where nearly 16,000 hectares have been destroyed.
The EU is also providing satellite mapping through the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, which is active for wildfires in Belgium, Spain, Greece, Germany, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, France and Italy. The rapid maps help authorities assess damage and coordinate response efforts.
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said: “No country should face wildfires alone. Through our civil protection mechanism, Europe is moving aircraft, helicopters and firefighters quickly to where they are needed most. This weekend in Belgium and Spain, European solidarity was on the ground again.”
The 2026 wildfire season is already proving exceptionally severe. By the end of July, the area burned across Europe was 2.5 times higher than the seasonal average.
Earlier, it was reported that a major wildfire in Belgium's High Fens nature reserve had affected more than 2,700 hectares.