Belgian firefighters deployed to aid southern France wildfire response

On Sunday 2 August 2026, a contingent of 67 firefighters from the Hauts‑de‑France region and the Val‑d’Oise department set out at dawn for Aix‑en‑Provence. The deployment, the fifth rotation of national solidarity crews, was intended to relieve exhausted teams battling wildfires across southern France, including in Corsica and the Var department. Colonel David Labeau confirmed that the column would maintain continuous operational presence while other convoys are scheduled to leave the region early next week, ensuring ongoing support for local fire stations.

The reinforcement aims to rotate personnel, sustain firefighting capacity, and protect vulnerable communities as the summer heat persists.