Greece has witnessed the "largest forest fire ever recorded in the European Union", the spokesperson of the European Commission announced on Tuesday, noting that the member states of the bloc are currently mobilizing about half of their joint air fleet to deal with it.
11 planes and helicopters were sent from the European Navy to help Greece fight the fires raging in the Dadia National Nature Reserve, north of the city of Alexandroupoli, with a team of 407 firefighters.
"The fire is out of control" in the reserve, which is a refuge for rare species of birds of prey, the Greek fire brigade told AFP. It rages across a front that stretches over about 10 kilometers.
Greece had several huge fires this summer, which the government attributes to climate change even though at least 19 'migrants' have been arrested for arson!
The European Union has a fleet of 24 planes and four helicopters provided by the member states to fight fires in the Union and neighboring countries.
The Union is working to establish an independent air wing financed by the European Union which will consist of 12 aircraft, and which will operate in a fully operational manner by 2030.
"The fires are getting more and more serious," said an official at the commission.