On 2 August, a combined unit of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) arrived in the Gironde department in southwestern France. The Ukrainian team held a working meeting with the leadership of the Gironde Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 33) and representatives of the European Union Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). Immediately afterward, the Ukrainian team departed for the site where it will begin carrying out its tasks. The SES reported this on its website.
On 4 August, the rescuers continue to carry out their assigned tasks, including preventing the fire from spreading to an equestrian center and protecting young forest plantations.
Earlier, on 31 July, a combined unit of 70 firefighters and 15 specialized vehicles departed for France, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said. According to him, the cooperation is taking place under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. It is the world's largest rapid emergency response system, bringing together 27 EU member states and 10 participating countries, including Ukraine, which joined the mechanism in 2023, first as a recipient and now also as a provider of assistance.
"Despite the challenges of the full-scale war and dozens of daily attacks, Ukraine is always ready to help those who are by our side in the most difficult times," Vyhivskyi said.
The interior minister also stressed that, if necessary, Ukraine would be able to deploy SES aircraft.
Ukrainian firefighters have already gained experience helping other countries extinguish wildfires, but cooperation in this format is taking place for the first time.
Large-scale wildfires raging in southern France
As large-scale wildfires continue to affect southern and western Europe, including France, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on the night of 24 July that he had requested the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Among the French regions affected by the fires is Gironde. Around 42,000 hectares have burned, with a fire perimeter of approximately 240 kilometers. More than 250,000 civilians have been evacuated, and around 250 buildings have been destroyed. These were the consequences of the wildfire presented during the meeting by Aurélien Petit, Deputy Head for Operational Activities of the Gironde Departmental Fire and Rescue Service.
He also stressed that one of the main objectives is to prevent the fire from spreading toward Bordeaux. As Petit explained, critical infrastructure facilities are located near the city. Bordeaux is a French port city and a world-renowned wine-producing region. According to the commander, the fire has already come to within approximately 10 kilometers of the airport.
"At present, around 250 foreign firefighters from Slovenia, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Portugal are also involved in responding to the disaster, while Ukraine has deployed the largest international team," the SES said on its website, adding that some 3,000 firefighters are tackling the fires overall, backed by 1,500 troops and 23 aircraft. "About 3,000 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel, and 23 aircraft are fighting the blaze, along with local farmers helping to contain it," the SES said on its website, adding that some 3,000 firefighters are tackling the fires overall, backed by 1,500 troops and 23 aircraft.
Ukraine’s emergency crews have helped Europe before
Before Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian firefighters took part in rescue operations in several countries, including Montenegro, Greece, and Türkiye.
In 2017, aircraft of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) helped extinguish wildfires in Montenegro.
In July 2021, Ukraine dispatched two An-32P aircraft crews along with a team of 14 specialists to help extinguish wildfires in Türkiye near the city of Antalya.
The following month, in August 2021, Ukrainian firefighters spent an entire day battling wildfires on the island of northern Evia in Greece.
The mission was carried out by 100 Ukrainian firefighters back then.
