Maltese firefighters have been called into action in Portugal, joining hundreds of emergency workers battling a major wildfire in the country’s Guarda region.

The Civil Protection Department (CPD) said the operation marked the first operational response for the Maltese contingent since being deployed to Portugal.

The team joined Portugal’s Special Civil Protection Force as part of a major effort involving around 320 firefighters, 85 vehicles and 11 firefighting aircraft.

Working in challenging wildfire conditions, the Maltese contingent assisted Portuguese crews attempting to bring the flames under control and protect nearby communities and surrounding areas.

The firefighters are currently stationed in Portugal through the EU’s wildfire pre-positioning programme, which deploys teams from European countries to areas facing an elevated risk of wildfires during the summer months.

Coordinated through the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the programme is designed to have additional firefighters and equipment already on the ground when major fires break out.

This allows reinforcements to respond considerably faster than if they had to be deployed internationally once an emergency was already underway.

Malta’s contingent will remain available to assist Portuguese authorities should further wildfire emergencies arise during its deployment.

Well done to Malta’s firefighters for stepping up and representing the country on the ground during such challenging conditions.

Credit: CPD