Fires rage in Sweden. The blue plan triggered. French canadairs arrive (V2)
(B2) Two Canadairs CL415 planes and a Beech 200 from the French Civil Security arrive this Thursday (July 19) in Sweden to reinforce the local resources engaged against the major forest fires. Sweden lacks firefighting means. Stockholm has decided to trigger the "blue plan"
Critical situation, call for help
Stockholm has decided to trigger the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Norwegian helicopters have already been there since Sunday evening: two of them in Älvdalen and Dalarna, two in Bollnäs and two in Örebro, according to the swedish television. Two Italian water bombers arrived on Wednesday as reinforcements. And the French means - two Canadairs and a reconnaissance aircraft - will be hard at work today. They will be based at Örebro Airport. A particular reinforcement precious by MSB, the Swedish civil security agency. These planes (like their Italian counterparts) can carry 6000 liters of water on each rotation. NB: That's much more than a helicopter that carries only 500 liters at each rotation.
Ground reinforcements from four countries and satellite aid
Other reinforcements came from Germany (5 helicopters) and Lithuania (1 helicopter), Denmark (12 vehicles and 55 personnel) and Poland (44 vehicles and 139 firefighters). In addition, the terrestrial reconnaissance satellite Copernicus was also called upon to provide damage assessment maps in the affected areas.
Critical situation
The situation has been critical for several days in several parts of the country in Jämtland, Hälsingland and Dalarna, in northern and central Sweden. Faced with the advance of the flames, villages had to be evacuated. About 75 homes were identified at the start of the week. " This is a serious situation and the risk of forest fires is extremely high throughout the country.s", notes Jakob Wernerman, director of operations of the Swedish civil protection agency MSB.
A lack of means
The Swedes do not really have aerial fire-fighting equipment, like the countries of the South, which face this kind of threat more regularly. The controversy is also beginning to swell in Sweden on this weakness. The seven Agusta Westland type navy helicopters AW139 in particular cannot be used because they do not have the necessary hook to carry water balloons, according to an investigation by SVT, Swedish television.
European solidarity in every way
Comment: Curious reversal of situation, too. Sweden (like some other northern European countries, the Netherlands, Germany, etc.) has sometimes been reluctant to release the means (financial and material) or to reinforce the permanent means of civil protection — especially defended by the countries of the south: Italy, Greece, ... — who felt the need (Read: Civil protection, how Europe lost a battle). And, today, it is the countries of the south that are called upon to help. It is true that Stockholm in the migratory crisis has not skimped on its assistance, engaging its coast guards in particular off the coast of Greece (read in particular: Swedish coastguard injured in Frontex operation).
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
Read our sheet on the European Civil Protection Mechanism
Read also: Civil protection. The current system is outdated. The Commission proposes to go ahead
Updated on 22.7 with data from other contributing countries
