Portugal will send between 100 and 120 civil protection personnel to help Canada fight the forest fires raging in the country, the Minister of Internal Administration revealed today.
Speaking to reporters, José Luís Carneiro said the force was made up of members of the National Civil Protection Structure, the Special Civil Protection Force, firefighters, GNR’s Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPC), INEM and foresters from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF).
“The force is ready to be designed. We’re just waiting to hear how Canada proposes to handle the airlift. As soon as this issue is resolved, this force will be deployed”, said the Minister.
He pointed out that Portugal had assessed the weather conditions forecast for the next few days with a view to deciding whether to send these resources to Canada.
“According to the IPMA, the forecasts for the next few days and next week allow us to release these resources”, he stressed.
The Minister also pointed out that there is no date yet for the departure of these elements to Canada, which could take place in the coming hours or days, once all the administrative conditions have been met.
This Portuguese force will be sent to Canada as part of the European Union’s (EU) civil protection mechanism, alongside French and Spanish firefighters.
Canada was battling more than 400 active fires on Tuesday, most of them in the province of Quebec.
This year, the country recorded 2,293 forest fires and some 3.8 million hectares burned, which is higher than the average for recent decades.
Fires in Canada: Portugal, Spain and France send 280 firefighters
