Dozens of Romanian firefighters go to Spain to fight forest fires. Will be detached in one of the main outbreaks
Forest Fire in Galicia Photo: Europa Press / Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) will detach 51 firefighters in Spain, a country devastated by large forest fires. The intervention module will be located in Extramadura, one of the most affected regions.
The decision comes after the Spanish government asked, on August 17, external aid, through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
Shipment will be provided by MApN
“Based on the proposal made by the Department for Emergency Situations and approved by the National Emergency Committee, Romania will send a specialized intervention module in the extinguishing of forest fires, consisting of 51 firefighters from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations and the subordinated units,” announced IGSU.
The transport of the intervention team will be carried out on Thursday with the support of the Romanian Air Force within the Ministry of National Defense.
“The mission of our colleagues will take place on the territory of Spain, in the city of Jarilla (Cáceres province of the Standura community) (…) Through this mission, Romania reaffirms its solidarity and commitment to support the Member States of the European Union in managing high emergency situations”, a Facebook post shows.
The costs assumed to carry out this mission are to be covered from European funds, according to the European Civil Protection Regulation.
Video Fightless Fight Against Fire in Spain and Portugal / good news from meteorolog
Six deaths caused by fires
The fires that are ravaging in Spain have entered a more intense phase since August 10 and are concentrated in the Galicia (North-West), Castille-Leon (North-West) and Extramadura (West) regions. They led to the evacuation of thousands of people.
Over 343,000 hectares have burned in Spain since the beginning of the year, a growing figure, which represents a record for this country, according to the updated data of the European Forest Fire Information (EFFIS), an indicator of the European Copernicus Observatory.
The balance of deaths in fires went up to four in Spain and two in Portugal. In Spain, a firefighter lost his life on Sunday night, after the vehicle in which he was and transported water overturned in the province of Leon, announced the Government of the Castilia-Leon region on the Social Network X. The vehicle was part of a convoy left the place of the fire and was heading for a forest road. The vehicle fell into a rap.
Two other young volunteers died in Castilia-Leon during the fight with the flames, and previously a Romanian employee of a herghel located north of Madrid, trying to protect the fire horses.
In Portugal, a firefighter died on Sunday in a road accident, also with the serious injury of two of his colleagues, said President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. This is the second death caused by fires in this country, after a former mayor died while fighting the flames on Friday in Guarda, in the east of the country.
