A total of 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova and Romania will be in Greece this summer to operate together with their Greek colleagues, under the pre-deployment program implemented for the third consecutive year through the European Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM).

The European firefighters, with forest firefighting vehicles, will be gradually deployed in the period from the beginning of July to mid-September in three bases of operations.

The first mission from Bulgaria is already since Tuesday at the operational base in Thessaloniki, where the 2nd Special Forestry Operations Unit is based, and will be followed on July 15 by missions from Malta (operational base in Achaia) and Moldova (operational base in Attica).

“Having proven in practice the value of European solidarity, the pre-deployment program of European Firefighters -which was first implemented in Greece in the summer of 2022- is being implemented this year expanded, as there will be more countries participating in the program with sending and receiving firefighters, as well as more forest firefighting forces,” a statement by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said.

In addition, it notes that Greece, participates in a dual capacity since, in addition to the 240 firefighters it will receive, it has already participated with a team of 25 officers which was deployed between June 15-30 in southern France. It should be noted that Greece “opened” the program on 15/6 by sending the first firefighters to France and will also be the one to “close” it on 15/9, when the last mission from a participating country (Romania) will be completed. In addition, the duration of the firefighters’ stay in Greece will be longer this year, as it will be extended to 2.5 months, from 2 months in previous years.

In total, the pre-deployment program for European firefighters for this year’s fire season involves 12 countries with firefighter missions: Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Estonia (for the 1st time), Italy (for the 1st time), Latvia, Malta, Moldova (for the 1st time), Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia (for the 1st time) and Finland.

The above countries will provide a total of 556 firefighters to be deployed in Greece, France, Spain (participating for the 1st time as host country) and Portugal, to provide assistance in the response to forest fires, as well as to exchange know-how.

In order to prepare for the implementation of the program in Greece, two training seminars were held in the past period at the premises of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection: For the Administrative Associations and Foreign Mission Officers’ Associations on 29 – 31 May 2024 and for incoming team leaders (team leaders) on 16 – 18 June 2024.