Swedish pilots deployed to fight wildfires in southwestern France

Sweden has sent two water‑bombing aircraft, each capable of carrying about 3,000 liters, to assist French authorities in battling extensive wildfires in the southwest of France. The Swedish crews operate under French command, coordinating with French and Portuguese units from a base near Bordeaux, and face demanding conditions including heavy smoke, low visibility and crowded airspace.

The deployment comes as the EU expands its joint firefighting fleet, ordering 18 new water‑bombing planes and activating the civil‑protection mechanism. Additional assets from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been pledged, reflecting a broader shift toward European solidarity in response to the severe fire season that has burned a record‑high area across EU member states.