“Lithuania is an active and responsible member of the international community, and when our partners face crises and disasters, we never stand idly by. We are ready to help France, which is facing massive wildfires. A team of 32 firefighters and five water tankers have been mobilised and could be deployed if needed,” Sinkevičius told reporters before a Cabinet meeting.
“Consultations and discussions are currently underway with our French colleagues to assess the need. If assistance is requested, we will undoubtedly join forces with colleagues from the Fire and Rescue Department to provide both equipment and personnel,” he added.
France and Spain have been battling severe wildfires this month.
The blaze in France, one of the country’s largest since World War II, has generated an unprecedented “pyrocumulonimbus” – a massive fire cloud that is creating its own winds and triggering further fires, the National Federation of French Firefighters (FNSPF) said.
In France’s southwestern Gironde region, which has been the worst affected, the local prefect has urged tourists to avoid the area and seek “other destinations”. Around 220,000 people have been evacuated in the region, while 45 campsites have been forced to close, disrupting the holiday plans of around 40,000 people.