Europe has boosted its wildfire preparations ahead of a forecasted busy 2026 season by deploying its largest force yet of firefighters, aircraft and other experts across the continent.

The announcement comes as the World Meteorological Organisation issued a Global Seasonal Climate Update that, while highlighting the development of a strong El Nino around the Pacific, also warns of hot, dry conditions elsewhere.

“For the June-July-August season, forecasts project a nearly universal dominance of above-normal temperatures in nearly all parts of the globe,” the WMO says.

The late May “heat dome” over Western Europe has eased this week but the early seasonal heatwave may be the first taste of a long, hot summer.  

The European Commission announcement follows a record 2025 season where 1 million hectares across Europe were burned. Its 2026 pre-positioning program includes:

• 777 firefighters from 14 countries to be deployed across high-risk areas in 6 countries in the south of Europe
• 22 firefighting airplanes and 5 helicopters from the EU fleet to support countries under pressure
• 21 certified teams ready to intervene all over Europe 

As the season progresses, the placement of these resources will be based on daily wildfire risk forecasts from the European Forest Fire Information System and the EU satellite Copernicus.

In addition, the EU is launching a new European regional firefighting station in Cyprus this year to strengthen wildfire preparedness and response capacities across Europe and the South Mediterranean region. The station will have the capacity to pre-position 6 aircraft and host trainings for civil protection practitioners.

The announcement is consistent with the March release of the new comprehensive EU strategy on wildfire management.

An overview of the 2026 summer fleet supported by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism:

• Croatia: Two medium amphibious airplanes.
• Cyprus: Two light airplanes (in addition to four light airplanes funded by other EU instruments).
• Czechia: Two helicopters.
• France: Four medium amphibious airplanes and one helicopter.
• Greece: Four medium amphibious airplanes.
• Italy: Two medium amphibious airplanes.
• North Macedonia: Two light airplanes.
• Portugal: Two light airplanes.
• Romania: One helicopter.
• Slovakia: One helicopter.
• Spain: Two medium amphibious airplanes.
• Sweden: Two light airplanes.