BERLIN — Authorities raised alerts on Wednesday as Europe’s record-breaking June heatwave threatened to intensify with temperatures heading into the 40s Celsius.
The choking heat has prompted traffic restrictions, sparked forest fires and fanned debate over public nudity as sweltering Germans stripped off.
To prepare for the risk of forest fires during the upcoming summer, the Commission is launching today the first fleet of firefighting aircraft under the new rescEU system to tackle natural disasters. So far seven firefighting airplanes and six helicopters will be part of the rescEU fleet during an initial transition period, and the Commission is (more…)
The forestry department has signed a contract with a private company for the lease of two helicopters to fight fires during the summer, the department announced on Friday.