According to the European Commission spokesperson, two aircraft have been mobilized and are en route to Portugal as part of the rescEU fleet.
The planes, which were initially deployed to Bulgaria, have been repositioned from Sweden, with their arrival expected on Sunday.
The spokesperson added that the European Commission is “exploring additional aid options” and remains “in constant contact with Portuguese authorities.”
In the same communication, Brussels expressed “deep sorrow over the death of the former mayor who was fighting the fires.”
Since the beginning of the fire season, firefighting teams from other member states have been supporting Portuguese firefighters.
Between August 1 and 15, a contingent of about 20 Latvian firefighters was stationed in Trancoso, and starting today, a team from Malta, also comprising around 20 members, will be deployed to Almeirim in two shifts: from August 16 to 31 and from September 1 to 15, the spokesperson added.
European support also includes the use of the Copernicus satellite system, already activated to map burned areas in the Beiras and Serra da Estrela region, providing authorities with a more accurate overview of the fire’s progression.
In a message on the social media platform X, European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib also announced the dispatch of two planes to Portugal and two to Spain, stating she is “deeply saddened by the loss of life in Portugal.”
We’ve sent 2 🇪🇺firefighting planes to #Portugal & 2 more to #Spain to fight #wildfires.
🇵🇹: the planes came from Sweden, after being moved from Bulgaria.
🇪🇸: we’ve deployed 2 planes from Italy, on top of 2 from France.Deeply saddened by the loss of life in Portugal. pic.twitter.com/jdgpmg8tmD
— Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) August 16, 2025
