Greece on Friday sent two Canadair firefighting aircraft to assist France in the battle against wildfires ravaging the country, in response to a request made by French authorities via the European Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU. The wildfires are mostly raging in the northwest of France, where 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as a precaution.
The two Canadairs have already left for France at the orders of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides.
"It is the first time that France has activated rescEU and requested assistance to face wildfires and Greece is the first, and so far the only, country that has responded to this request, actively supporting European solidarity with all the forces that it has available. Warm thanks have already been expressed by the French authorities to Greece, the ministry said in an announcement on Friday.