The European Union said Tuesday it would deploy a record number of firefighters and aircraft in high-risk areas ahead of the summer wildfire season. Brussels said 777 firefighters from 14 countries would be in position in Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal to help local emergency services.
The bloc would also put on standby 22 firefighting planes and five helicopters from the EU's fleet.
"Wildfire season starts earlier, lasts longer, and hits harder," said EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib.
"Last summer, over one million hectares burnt across Europe."
Europe, which went through a record-smashing heatwave this month, is the world's fastest-warming continent.
The world generally could face a year of especially severe wildfires, fuelled by climate change and a potentially strong El Nino weather phenomenon, researchers at Imperial College London and the World Weather Attribution network of climate scientists have warned.
