World

France requests help from EU to deal with fires, says Macron

July 24, 2026 6:14 pm

[Source: Reuters]

France has requested assistance from the European Union ​to help it deal with ‌a major wildfire near the country’s Atlantic coast, said President Emmanuel Macron ​on Friday.

“The situation remains ​extremely tense with the fires hitting ⁠our country, particularly in ​Gironde,” wrote Macron on X.

“France has ​requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. We will ​soon be able to count ​on reinforcements from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, ‌two ⁠Portuguese Air Tractor planes, as well as two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech ​Republic ​and Slovakia,” ⁠he added.

More than 10,000 people were evacuated overnight ​in southwestern France as ​a ⁠rapidly spreading wildfire ripped through at least 2,400 hectares of ⁠land ​west of the ​city of Bordeaux, officials said on Thursday.

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