European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday (28 July) evening praised the dedication of firefighters from nine countries, including Slovakia, who are helping to tackle large-scale wildfires in France and Spain.
"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the brave teams from Portugal, the Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Croatia, Germany, Slovakia and Turkey deployed to France and Spain to fight the blaze," von der Leyen has posted on social media.
According to the EC President, this is solidarity at its best, from the EU and beyond. "The courage and dedication of these firefighters is a reminder that when we stand together, we are stronger," she added.
Large wildfires have swept through south-western France and areas west of the Spanish capital of Madrid in recent days. The fires have destroyed vast areas of parched forests and vegetation, as well as property, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. While Spanish authorities on Tuesday lifted evacuation orders in 13 municipalities, allowing residents to return home, French authorities ordered further evacuations amid fears that an expected heatwave would hamper efforts to bring the fires under control.
Slovak firefighters arrived in France with a Black Hawk helicopter to help tackling the wildfires on 24 July. On Tuesday, the French authorities asked for extension of their deployment until 3 August.
Source: TASR
