Europe has faced one of its harshest wildfire seasons in recent history, reportedly the worst since 2006, with fires threatening homes, communities, and natural landscapes across the continent. In response, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism played a crucial role by both prepositioning firefighters in high-risk areas before disasters struck and mobilising additional teams after urgent requests for assistance. This coordinated effort brought together hundreds of firefighters from different countries, united by a shared commitment to solidarity and emergency response.
The article highlights the experiences of several frontline responders, including firefighters from Estonia, Malta, Greece, and an Italian firefighting pilot. Kaarel Langemets from Estonia described how his team was deployed to Spain for a second consecutive year, where they were better prepared and able to respond effectively to multiple fires, including one that burned around 3,600 hectares. He noted the scale of Spanish wildfires compared to Estonia, the extensive use of aerial resources, and the strong trust and gratitude shown by Spanish colleagues, underscoring the importance of international cooperation as climate-driven wildfires grow more frequent and severe.
Michel Galea from Malta shared his experience of being deployed to Portugal, where he faced some of the most intense wildfire conditions of his career. Coming from a country without forests, he described the overwhelming sight of massive fires stretching across valleys and the eerie glow visible from hundreds of kilometres away. The mission gave him valuable strategic and operational experience in both ground and aerial firefighting, while also strengthening camaraderie among Maltese firefighters. He emphasised that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism not only improves crisis readiness but also creates vital opportunities for knowledge-sharing, professional development, and stronger ties between European emergency teams.
Nikolaos Paisios of Greece recounted leading a team of 20 firefighters in Spain after also assisting in Cyprus earlier in the summer. In Asturias, his team worked under extreme heat on steep terrain to stop a large fire before it reached the village of Genestoso. He described the operation as a powerful example of how quick decisions, strong communication, and teamwork can make the difference between devastation and protection. For him, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism represents one of the European Union’s most important solidarity tools, demonstrating that disasters do not stop at borders and that rapid collective action can save lives and communities.
The article also features Marco Amort, an Italian Canadair pilot and Director of Flight Operations, who has spent nearly two decades fighting fires from the air. Deployed multiple times this summer to countries including Israel, Greece, and Spain, he described the fires in Spain as some of the most devastating he had ever witnessed. Although aerial firefighting can feel frustrating against such massive blazes, he stressed that even limited intervention can reduce damage and save lives. Marco highlighted the value of working closely with Spanish pilots, exchanging operational techniques and training practices, and concluded that climate change makes stronger European interoperability increasingly essential.
Overall, the article presents the EU Civil Protection Mechanism as a vital framework for cross-border wildfire response, enabling countries to pool resources, expertise, and personnel when national capacities are overwhelmed. Beyond emergency response, it strengthens preparedness, improves professional coordination, and reinforces a sense of shared European solidarity in the face of increasingly unpredictable and destructive climate-related disasters.
