Abu dhabi: France has allocated £12 million to rebuild areas affected by wildfires in the southwest of the country, as fires continue to affect several parts of Europe amid exceptionally severe conditions.
According to Emirates News Agency, French Prime Minister S©bastien Lecornu announced that £10 million would be designated for the Gironde department and £2 million for Landes. He indicated that the overall cost of government support measures could exceed £100 million, including exemptions from social security contributions and property tax for affected businesses for three months.
The European Union has mobilized assistance for Belgium and Spain through the EU civil protection mechanism as wildfires continue across the continent. In Belgium, two firefighting aircraft from the EU's rescEU fleet were deployed from Sweden, alongside two helicopters each from the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany, to support efforts against a wildfire in the Hautes Fagnes, where more than 3,000 hectares have burned.
In Spain, 104 ground firefighters with 36 vehicles from France have come to the aid of Spanish firefighters in the Arag³n region, where close to 16,000 hectares have already burned. The EU's Copernicus Emergency Management Service has also been activated for wildfires in Belgium, Spain, Greece, Germany, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, France, and Italy, providing rapid maps to help authorities assess affected areas and organize the response.
EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib stated, "No country should face wildfires alone. Through our civil protection mechanism, Europe is moving aircraft, helicopters, and firefighters quickly to where they are needed most."
The European Commission reported that the 2026 wildfire season is already exceptionally severe, with the area burned by the end of July being 2.5 times the usual level in Europe.