Greece has activated the UCPM to request assistance with wildfires in the country. Several UCPM countries have responded to the call, complementing the pre-positioned teams already present on the ground.
Greece activated the UCPM on 20 August to request assistance in combating wildfires across the country. The high temperatures that are currently being experienced in Europe have led to most of Greece being considered at high to very extreme risk of fire. A number of wildfires are active in multiple locations.
The ECHO Daily Map of 6 September 2023 shows the current situation in Greece and the UCPM response already underway. 11 UCPM member and participating states have responded to the request for assistance. As of 6 September, over 60 vehicles, 13 aircrafts and more than 600 firefighters have been deployed under the UCPM to support Greece in the fight against wildfires.
This response under the UCPM complements the pre-positioning of a team of 25 firefighters from France, who were pre-positioned in Greece, in anticipation of upcoming fires.
Additionally, the map also gives an overview of another hazard Greece is facing right now. The severe weather with heavy rainfalls that Greece has been experiencing since 4 September has led to a number of floods and landslides. On 5 September the Copernicus Emergency Management Service was activated in rapid mapping mode. Five maps have been produced as of 11 September to aid the efforts on the ground.
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