Members of the 858th Firefighting Squadron of the Croatian Air Force are engaged in fighting major fires in France, specifically in the Bordeaux area. The Croatian forces have been in the country since Friday, 24 July 2026, as part of the RescEU mechanism. Their mission is part of the international response to the highly complex situation at the fire sites, where burned areas are extensive.
On the first day of the operation, 24 July, the pilots operated on fighting fires near Salernes. Yesterday they were relocated to the Bordeaux area and began operations at the fire site near Biscasse. In the first two days of their stay in France, the aircraft made a total of 72 flights. The total duration of the flights in that period was 13 and a half hours.
During these flights, the pilots released 402 tons of water to suppress the fire. Colonel Ante Vranjić of the 856th Firefighting Squadron reported from the base in Bordeaux on the current course of operations. The situation on the ground is described as very demanding due to the extent of the affected areas.
This intervention demonstrates the operational readiness of the Croatian air force within European mechanisms. The focus is now on the continuous extinguishment of the fire in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, where conditions for firefighting remain challenging due to the large burned area.
