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Hessian fire brigade in action against the worst forest fires in 70 years!
Hessian firefighters are assisting with forest fires in southern France as Europe prepares for climate change.
Hessian fire brigade in action against the worst forest fires in 70 years!
In recent weeks, the region around Bordeaux in southern France has been struggling with devastating forest fires that are among the most violent in the last 70 years. The flames are destroying sensitive ecosystems across an area of over 13,000 hectares and forcing thousands of people to evacuate. In view of this dramatic situation, 34 fire brigades from Hesse set out to provide support and at the same time carry out important training. This mission is part of an EU initiative to be better prepared in advance of future fires in Hesse, as hessenschau.de reports.
The Hessian fire brigade, who come from various cities such as Niederaula, Eichenzell, Seligenstadt, Kassel, Erbach and Bad König, have completed a long journey of 16 hours. Their operation is currently focused on defending the right flank of a fire-prone area that recently affected 15 hectares of land, including pine forest and valuable green spaces. They have already provided assistance on several occasions and were most recently deployed near Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, where 9 hectares burned.
The challenge of climate change
But the fires in southern France are only part of a larger problem. According to the European Environment Agency, Europe is warming faster than other continents, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events. 2023 is predicted to be the warmest year in over 100,000 years, which will have a serious impact on agricultural and ecological conditions. In recent years there have been severe droughts and devastating forest fires across Europe, which have already destroyed around 900,000 hectares of forest [europa.eu](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/de/article/20241007STO24471/uberschwemmungen-waldbrande-und-extremwetter-die- Answer-der-eu).
Forest fires in countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy have affected millions of people and caused significant economic damage. In 2023 alone, 500,000 hectares burned in southern Europe, and future scenarios suggest that such disasters will increase.
European solidarity and preparation
The Hessian fire department is aware of these challenges. Interior Minister Roman Poseck emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in civil protection. “We have to prepare for climate change and the associated extreme weather conditions,” said Poseck. The emergency services will stay in Bordeaux for a total of 14 days and will also take part in locally conducted training during their time in order to further deepen their knowledge of fighting forest fires.
Current reports show that almost 231,539 hectares of forest have already burned in Europe by mid-July 2023, an increase of 119 percent compared to the long-term average. This year, too, numerous people were forced to flee, while climate models point to a longer and more intense forest fire season. The Hessian fire brigade shows that in times of crisis you can also rely on support and solidarity within the EU in order to meet the challenges of climate change together euronews.com.