Brussels, 16 July 2024 (MIA) – The European Commission is mobilizing help in reaction to forest fires in North Macedonia and Bulgaria, said the European Commission’s Spokesperson for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Balazs Ujvari at a briefing Tuesday.

“Following an activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism by North Macedonia we have deployed now a total of four helicopters and three firefighting planes from Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkiye,” Ujvari said.

Additionally, Ujvari said the Commission has deployed two helicopters from Czechia to help fight wildfires in Bulgaria.

“We remain ready to mobilize additional assistance. As you all know we have made significant preparations ahead of the summer, we have more than 500 firefighters positioned across the EU, and we have a firefighting fleet consisting of 29 planes and four helicopters,” Ujvari added.

Regarding the European Commission’s decision, the Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said the EU stands united in its support of the efforts to tackle the wildfires.

“Our rapid response through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism is crucial in aiding local efforts against these devastating wildfires. We remain ready to provide additional support if needed. Wildfires know no borders, and neither does our commitment to help,” Lenarčič added.

The European Commission said the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is closely monitoring the situation, ensuring that further assistance can be swiftly deployed if required.

Photo: MIA Archive