The first European firefighting teams are expected to arrive in Greece in mid-July under the pre-positioning programme of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), as the country prepares for the peak of the wildfire season.

A total of 245 firefighters from France, Moldova, Romania and the Czech Republic will be hosted in Greece this summer, according to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. Their deployment will take place gradually from July 16 to September 15, 2026, at Fire Service operational bases in Nea Makri, in Attica, as well as in Thessaloniki and Patras.

The foreign teams will be accompanied by motorised units and will operate in a supporting role alongside Greek firefighting forces.

The programme has a dual purpose: to strengthen Greece’s operational readiness during the wildfire season and to give European firefighters practical experience in real conditions, which they can then take back to their home countries.

As part of the preparations, the Fire Service held a joint training seminar in late May for liaison officers from foreign missions and administrative liaison officers. A separate seminar for team leaders was also held in Athens from June 17 to 19, 2026.

Greece has taken part in the programme for the past five years and hosted the pilot project in 2022. This year, it will again receive the largest number of firefighters among the participating host countries.

At the same time, two Greek teams made up of 21 firefighters from the Special Forest Firefighting Units, known in Greece as EMODE, will be deployed abroad. The first will be stationed in southern France, in the Gignac area near Montpellier, from July 1 to 15, while the second will be based at the Platanion Forest Station in the municipality of Limassol, Cyprus, from September 1 to 15.

In total, 777 firefighters from 14 countries participating in the European Civil Protection Mechanism will take part in this year’s programme, the highest number in recent years. The number of host countries has also increased, with Greece, France, Spain, Italy, Cyprus and Portugal among those taking part.