The European Union is stepping up its emergency response as wildfires continue to ravage large areas of France and Spain, with meteorologists warning that an approaching heatwave could ignite new blazes across southern Europe.
At the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Brussels, officials are monitoring the situation around the clock, managing the deployment of water-bombing aircraft, helicopters, and fire engines from 27 member states and ten partner nations, including the Western Balkans and Turkey.
"The team is monitoring the situation, monitoring the risk in France, how it will develop, and is in continuous contact with the French authorities to see whether they need additional support," said Maria Zuber, head of the unit, on Wednesday.
Since France requested EU assistance last week, aircraft from Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, and Turkey have been dispatched to the southwest of the country. Zuber noted that gaps remain: "Just last night, Serbia offered additional helicopters."
Strain on resources and rising risks
The fires in France and Spain are the latest in a series of blazes that scientists link to human-driven climate change, which is intensifying heatwaves and drying out vegetation that flourished during wetter periods. This year's extreme heat has created tinderbox conditions across the continent.
In response, the EU is bolstering its own aerial fleet and urging member states to place additional equipment on standby. The Brussels centre operates with a rotating roster of dozens of officials who maintain 24/7 oversight of emerging crises worldwide. During the summer, they are joined by about 25 weather and fire specialists from EU countries who assess how existing blazes may spread and where new ones could erupt.
"We have implemented mechanisms that have been improved over time, as we recognised that forest fires were becoming an increasing challenge in recent years," said Borja Miguelez, deputy head of the emergency centre. "We have increased the availability of aerial resources and enhanced the technical capacity of the teams managing the emergency response."
Although the concurrent fires in France and Spain are placing heavy strain on ground crews and equipment, Miguelez noted that the EU has so far fulfilled every request for aid. However, with further extreme heat expected over the coming days, fire warnings are surging in other regions, which could push demand higher.
"Today we're seeing two forest fires on a very, very large scale, but we're also remaining very vigilant for the future, because summer isn't over yet, and we're now set to experience another heatwave," Miguelez said.
The EU's coordinated response is critical as the 2026 wildfire season could break all records, with burned areas already equalling the size of Luxembourg. The Gironde wildfires have disrupted 40,000 businesses and threaten tourism in southwest France, while a veterinary team in Bordeaux cares for pets of evacuees.
As the heatwave spreads, officials are particularly concerned about Italy, Greece, and Portugal, where dry conditions and strong winds could quickly turn small fires into major conflagrations. The EU is urging all member states to remain on high alert and to pre-position equipment in vulnerable areas.
