A 70-strong Ukrainian rescue team has returned home after nearly two weeks helping fight major wildfires in France — the country's first-ever mission assisting an EU member state under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) announced on August 15, 2026 that a 70-strong team of Ukrainian rescuers, backed by 15 pieces of specialized equipment, has returned home after nearly two weeks helping fight some of France's largest wildfires in decades. At Volunteers Support Ukraine, we're glad to share this uplifting story — a reminder that even amid war, Ukraine finds the strength to help others.
The unit departed for France's Gironde department on July 31, 2026, where flames had already scorched more than 42,000 hectares of forest — one of the largest wildfires France has seen in 20 years. What made the deployment historic is that it marked the very first time Ukraine sent help to an EU member state under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, flipping the country's usual role as an aid recipient. For the team at Volunteers Support Ukraine, that reversal is a genuine point of pride.
On the ground, six Ukrainian water tankers worked in coordination with French aircraft — two planes and a helicopter — to hold the line against the fire. Crews patrolled forest areas, flew UAVs to spot new outbreaks early, and worked side by side with French and other European teams. Local residents reportedly welcomed the Ukrainians with banners reading "thousand thanks," a gesture that Volunteers Support Ukraine sees as a genuine sign of solidarity between people.
The team returned to Ukraine on August 15, 2026. Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said Ukraine remains "ready to lend a shoulder to its partners." Volunteers Support Ukraine believes stories like this show what's possible even for a country still fighting for its own survival — that there is still room to give.
Volunteers Support Ukraine helps people affected by the war however it can, with whatever resources are available. Stories like this one are a reminder that solidarity doesn't move in only one direction — sometimes those who need the most support find, in turn, the strength to reach out and help others. That is exactly the spirit that keeps our work going.
