Ukrainian rescuers left for France this morning to help the country extinguish forest fires caused by extreme heat.
This was reported by the Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Vyhivsky.
Ukraine has sent a team of 70 rescuers and 15 special vehicles to France. However, Vyhivsky added that Kyiv is also ready to send the State Emergency Service aircraft if necessary.
Prior to this, on July 29, Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron and offered him assistance in extinguishing the fires.
In France, more than 220 000 people have been evacuated due to a forest fire raging in the southwest. The most critical situation is in the Gironde department, where the fire has engulfed almost 42 000 hectares of forest. More than half of the previously evacuated residents have already been able to return home.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
- According to European agencies, fires have already destroyed more land in Europe this year than in any year in the past two decades. Scientists link the increasing frequency of heat waves, droughts and large-scale fires to climate change.
- In addition, in France, high temperatures are already affecting the operation of nuclear power plants and damaging corn crops.
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