Greek Forest Firefighters Deploy to Southern France Fires

On 1 July 2026 the Greek mechanised forest‑firefighting unit joined roughly 150 French firefighters to combat an agricultural‑forest fire in Villeneuve‑lès‑Maguelone, Hérault. The team, drawn from the 2nd and 6th Special Forest Units and comprising 21 personnel, removed horses and protected farm structures.

The following day, 2 July 2026, the same Greek unit was mobilised again near Béziers, where coordinated efforts with French crews quickly brought the blaze under full control. The operation is part of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism’s pre‑positioning programme, with the Greek team scheduled to remain in southern France until 15 July 2026, showcasing the readiness of the unit and the depth of EU‑wide emergency cooperation.