Following a request for assistance from Cyprus through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Greece has sent 2 firefighting planes to help fight wildfires in the Paphos region.
This is the first use of the mechanism during this wildfire season this year. In total, as part of preparedness measures for the wildfire season, the EU has established a fleet of 32 aerial firefighting assets and 556 firefighters, pre-positioned across Europe.
In addition, the EU is currently supporting 8 wildfire prevention projects, strengthening national wildfire resilience capacities.
Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said “I thank Greece for its quick response to assisting Cyprus in fighting the wildfires in the Paphos region by deploying two firefighting aircraft. This is EU solidarity in practice.”
The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide additional assistance upon request.
