Lithuania sends 32 firefighters to help France battle wildfires
Lithuania approved sending a firefighting team to France on Friday, with 40 officers from the State Fire and Rescue Service, including 32 firefighters, set to depart on Saturday. The mission will assist French efforts against devastating blazes in the Gironde region.
The Lithuanian government gave the green light for a firefighting deployment to France during an extraordinary remote session on Friday. The contingent will consist of 40 officers from the State Fire and Rescue Service (PAGD), including a command group and 32 firefighters. Nine specialized vehicles, five of which are fire engines, will be part of the operation.
The team is scheduled to leave for southern France on Saturday through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. They will carry all necessary forestry firefighting equipment and supplies needed for autonomous operations. The journey is expected to take approximately three days.
French authorities will determine the exact location, tasks, and duration of the deployment based on the evolving situation. The National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) is coordinating the delivery of international civil protection assistance.
French firefighters have been battling fires in the Gironde region for over a week, forcing the evacuation of 220,000 people. The flames have destroyed more than 200 homes and scorched 42,000 hectares of land.
