President Emmanuel Macron has requested assistance from aircraft and helicopters through the European Union's civil protection mechanism as wildfires intensify across France, while authorities have ordered the evacuation of everyone on the popular Cap-Ferret peninsula.
Issued on: 24/07/2026 - 23:09
3 min Reading time
Macron announced overnight that France had requested the activation of an EU emergency mechanism as fire and medical services came under growing pressure. “The situation remains extremely tense as fires ravage the country, particularly in Gironde,” the president wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “France has requested the activation of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. We will soon be able to count on reinforcements from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor aircraft, as well as two heavy Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.” Macron praised the “concrete, swift and operational solidarity” shown by France’s European partners and urged the public to remain alert. “I call on our fellow citizens to exercise the utmost vigilance. Every action counts in protecting our lives, our homes, our forests and our landscapes,” he said.
