Drought and weakening forests have increased concerns about wildfires in Central Europe, prompting Brussels to expand its emergency response capacity.
The European Union is deploying a firefighting helicopter to Slovakia this summer as part of its largest-ever wildfire preparedness operation, reflecting growing concerns about fire risks beyond the Mediterranean region.
The European Commission announced that 777 firefighters from 14 countries, supported by 22 aircraft and five helicopters under the rescEU programme, will be stationed across Europe during the peak fire season.
One of the helicopters will be based in Slovakia, while two others will operate from Czechia and another from Romania. The aircraft can be rapidly deployed across borders if neighbouring countries require assistance.
The move comes as prolonged drought conditions continue to affect much of Slovakia. State forestry company Lesy SR warned in May that around 80 percent of the country's territory is experiencing below-normal moisture levels, with roughly 16 percent classified as being in extreme drought.
