Canada - France mobilizes assistance to help fight forest fires (June 8, 2023)

In keeping with President Macron’s announcement, France is mobilizing assistance to respond to the Canadian government’s request for help with fighting devastating forest fires.

Two detachments totaling some 100 firefighters and fire-and-rescue personnel from the French Civil Protection service are leaving from Marseille today with a dozen tons of firefighting equipment to fight fires in the province of Quebec.

This solidarity-based operation, which is in line with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, is being coordinated by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Center and the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas France’s General Directorate of Civil Security and Crisis Management, in coordination with the Canadian Embassy in France.

These extreme events serve as a reminder that we must take action in view of the consequences of the intensification of climate change, which are affecting more and more people.

As Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has said, France reiterates its absolute solidarity with the Canadian people and authorities.