This morning (Wednesday, 9th August), Spain requested European civil protection assistance to help combat the forest fires raging in more that 100 places in the region of Galicia.

The MIC immediately 1[1]alerted the civil protection authorities of the 30 countries participating in the Community Civil Protection Mechanism. Within a few hours, Spain received additional fire-fighting airplanes, fire fighters and vehicles from several European Member States. Italy, Portugal and France were the first to provide civil protection assistance through the Community Mechanism.
Commissioner for Environment, Stavros Dimas, said: “European help is already on the way to Spain. Assistance provided by Member States through the Civil Protection Mechanism has once again proved that this is a community tool that works effectively. ”
Spain turned to the European Union in its request for help following the terrible forest fires that have been ravaging the region of Galicia over the past days. Spain's request for assistance included fire-fighting aircraft, helicopters and fire trucks. The Community Mechanism for Civil Protection was activated on 9th of August 2006 at 09:32 hours (Brussels time). Within a few hours Italy, Portugal and France offered assistance through this mechanism, with further offers from other Member States expected in the coming hours.
Commissioner Dimas added: “The Commission is doing its best to improve the tools at its disposal. The response to the forest fires in Spain has shown that co-operation and co-ordination in providing civil protection assistance are not only necessary but also demonstrate European solidarity at its best.”
The first assistance to Spain arrived within hours of the activation of the Community Mechanism for Civil Protection. The aid consisted of: Italy : 2 Canadair aircraft, Portugal : A relief task force consisting of 20 vehicles and 65 forest fire fighters; France : 2 Canadair aircraft.
Meanwhile more states participating in the Community Mechanism are assessing their resources to match Spain's request for assistance.
The Community Mechanism for Civil Protection
The Community Mechanism aims to facilitate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance intervention. It ensures the coordination of assistance intervention in order to provide prompt support and to assist a country (inside and outside the European Union) in need of help. The main objective is to provide the best possible response and preparedness when a major emergency situation arises.
Such activities are coordinated by the Commission through the activation of its Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC), located in DG Environment, Civil Protection Unit.
30 states participate in the Community Mechanism. These pool those resources that can be made available to disaster-stricken countries all over the world through this mechanism.
Since its creation, the Mechanism has been activated for a number of disasters worldwide, including the 2003 earthquake in Iran; the 2004 tsunami affected South East Asia; the 2005 forest fires in Portugal, flooding in Bulgaria and Romania, Hurricane Katrina in the US and the earthquake in Pakistan and more recently the earthquake in Indonesia and the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. The Commission has reviewed the efficiency of the Mechanism and through its proposals is seeking to improve upon it.
For more information:
Civil Protection Unit: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm