Greece is facing the “biggest fire ever recorded in the European Union”, a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Tuesday, August 29, stressing that the Twenty-Seven currently mobilize almost half of the common European air assets.
Eleven planes and a helicopter from the European fleet have been sent to help Greece fight the flames in Dadia National Park, in the northeast of the country, with 407 firefighters, said Balazs Ujvari, spokesperson for the Commission. . Greek firefighters are fighting for the eleventh consecutive day against a fire that is ravaging the forest in this park of the European Natura 2000 network, known to be home to many birds of prey.
The fire, which spans a front of almost 10 kilometers, is “still out of control”, reported one of their spokespersons. Greece has been ravaged by numerous fires this summer, which the government attributes to climate change. The European Union (EU) has a fleet of twenty-four planes and four helicopters provided by Member States to fight fires in the Union and neighboring countries.
It is working to create an EU-funded autonomous air wing of twelve aircraft, which will be fully operational by 2030. “The fires are getting more and more serious,” Balazs Ujvari said.
