Slovak firefighters return from wildfire mission in France

A Slovak firefighting module has returned home following a three-week mission in France. Operating from July 30 to August 18, the team was deployed under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to combat high-risk wildfires.

The 20 Slovak firefighters operated in the Gironde department near Bordeaux, utilizing 19 pieces of specialized equipment. The team worked in challenging sandy terrain to extinguish active fires and locate hidden hotspots to prevent further spread. During their deployment, southwest France experienced one of its largest wildfires of the season, affecting approximately 42,000 hectares of land.

In addition to firefighting efforts, the mission facilitated an exchange of expertise with French firefighters regarding technical equipment and tactical procedures for managing natural environment fires.