European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that several European Union countries have offered to send nearly 300 firefighters to Canada to help fight the wildfires raging there.
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We stand in solidarity with Canada in the face of these horrific wildfires. Canada has asked the European Union for support through the Civil Protection Mechanism and we are responding immediately.
France, Portugal and Spain have offered to send more than 280 firefighters.
“More help will come,” she assured.
After the Canadian provinces of Alberta (west) and Nova Scotia (east), Quebec has been badly hit by historic fires and eagerly awaits international reinforcements, while smoke from nearly 400 Canadian fires is affecting the United States.
The authorities consider an exceptional case in terms of the number of hectares burned at this time of the year.
Canada as a whole is experiencing an unprecedented year: nearly 2,300 forest fires have been recorded and nearly 3.8 million hectares burned, a total well above the average of recent decades.
