Lithuania welcomes firefighters back from French wildfire mission

Forty Lithuanian firefighters returned to Vilnius on Sunday after spending nearly two weeks helping battle forest fires in southern France, LRT reported.

The Perkūnas team returned from an international assistance mission in the Bordeaux and Marseille regions. During the operation, the firefighters surveyed fire sites, extinguished smouldering areas and helped prevent the fires from reigniting alongside French and other countries’ forces.

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said the mission demonstrated Lithuania’s willingness and ability to help other European countries in times of disaster.

“It shows that we are able to demonstrate solidarity with other European countries. By carrying out such important missions, our officers help ensure that if, God forbid, we ever needed such assistance in the future, other European countries would respond,” Katelynas told reporters at the reception near the Firefighter Rescue School.

Mission commander Dalius Kunigėlis said the team had returned “tired but motivated”. He said the firefighters had worked extensively to extinguish forest fires and protect settlements from the flames.

“It was excellent experience. On the way back, we discussed how we could present a lot of information to our leadership and share our experience with everyone,” Kunigėlis said. He added that although some tactical details differed, the basic principle was the same: rescuing and helping people.

Kęstutis Agintas, deputy director of the Fire Protection and Rescue Department, said the experience gained during international missions would be useful in the future. He said Lithuanian firefighters had previously gained experience responding to earthquakes and floods, as well as searching for and rescuing people.

According to Agintas, around 20 teams from other countries helped France fight the fires. Most of the international assistance involved aerial firefighting using helicopters and specialised aircraft, while several ground teams also took part. Lithuania’s team was one of the ground units.

French authorities reportedly expressed satisfaction with the Lithuanian assistance, Katelynas said.

The fires in southern France forced the evacuation of 220,000 people, destroyed more than 200 homes and affected an area of 42,000 hectares, according to the report.

The Embassy of France in Lithuania thanked the country for its assistance in fighting the fires in the Bordeaux and Marseille regions.