France requests EU assistance to tackle wildfires

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France had requested the European Union’s assistance in tackling a major wildfire near the country’s Atlantic coast.

He added, “The situation remains extremely tense, with raging fires across our country, particularly in Gironde. France has requested the activation of the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism. We will soon be able to rely on reinforcements consisting of two Canadair aircraft from Croatia, two Air Tractor aircraft from Portugal, and two Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.”

Officials said on Thursday that authorities had evacuated more than 10,000 people overnight in southwestern France after a massive, fast-spreading fire swept through at least 6,000 acres of land west of Bordeaux.