On July 31, a combined unit of Ukrainian rescuers departed for France to help fight wildfires. It includes 70 rescuers and 15 specialized vehicles.
This was reported by Ivan Vyhivskyi at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
The unit was deployed on the instructions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The previous day, Ukraine’s interior minister held an online conversation with French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The parties discussed details of the Ukrainian rescue team’s work in France.
“We are also ready to deploy aircraft of the State Emergency Service to assist in fighting wildfires should there be an additional need. State Emergency Service rescuers have unique experience working in extremely difficult conditions. Every day, they deal with the consequences of Russian attacks, extinguish large-scale fires, conduct search-and-rescue operations and work in areas of constant danger,” the Interior Ministry said.
As a reminder, the fire that has been raging in France’s Gironde department since July 22 has covered about 42,000 hectares. Around 224,000 people were evacuated because of the threat from the fire, while more than 3,300 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze.
Wildfires in southwestern France have approached facilities where rocket engines are manufactured and explosive substances are stored. According to Le Monde, at least seven of the 35 Seveso-class sites in the Gironde department are located near the fire or in evacuated communities. The ArianeGroup and Roxel plants are causing the greatest concern. Some sites were evacuated, while fire-prevention measures around the facilities were strengthened.
