Firefighters from Malta’s Civil Protection Department have been out on their first operational response of this deployment in Portugal, assisting the Força Especial de Proteção Civil in tackling a major wildfire in the Guarda region.

The CPD said that members of the Maltese contingent joined a significant firefighting operation involving approximately 320 firefighters, 85 vehicles and 11 firefighting aircraft, working together to bring the wildfire under control and protect the affected communities and surrounding areas.

The firefighters operated alongside their Portuguese counterparts in challenging wildfire conditions, contributing personnel and resources to the ongoing firefighting effort,the CPD said.

The Maltese contingent is currently stationed in Portugal as part of the EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid wildfire pre-positioning programme, coordinated through the European Commission’s Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).

The programme places firefighting teams from different European countries in high risk areas during the wildfire season, allowing additional resources to be deployed rapidly when they are needed most.

Photos: Civil Protection Department Malta

Permalink: Maltese firefighters help tackle major wildfire in Guarda region