Patras is Greece's third-largest city and the main industrial hub of western Greece. The Peloponnese, where the city is located, is characterised by rugged mountainous terrain and dense forests in which wildfires spread rapidly and often cause extensive damage. Czech firefighters have repeatedly assisted Greece in combating such fires over the years. This year, they will also help protect the Port of Patras, which was affected by a major wildfire last year that damaged part of its industrial zone.

As part of this year's EU Prepositioning Programme, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic (FRS CR) has deployed 44 firefighters to Greece, serving in two rotations of 22 personnel each. The contingent includes members of the Fire Rescue Service of Prague, the Moravian-Silesian Region, the Plzeň Region, the South Moravian Region and the Central Bohemian Region. It also includes personnel from the Rescue Unit of the FRS CR, the General Directorate of the FRS CR, and instructors from secondary and higher vocational schools specialising in fire protection. The first module, led by Colonel Richard Franc, arrived in Patras late in the evening on 15 July 2026, bringing modern firefighting equipment, including TATRA fire engines equipped with firefighting technology supplied by THT Polička, as well as a specialised wildfire detection vehicle. The first rotation will be replaced at the end of July, and the Czech deployment in Greece will continue until 15 August 2026.

On 16 July 2026, Ambassador Ivo Šilhavý and Honorary Consul Romana Thermou officially welcomed the Czech firefighters in Patras. On behalf of the Hellenic Fire Service, Major General Konstantinos Gontikas, Operational Coordinator for the Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian Islands, welcomed the Czech contingent and expressed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic.

Meeting between Czech and Greek firefighters in Patras (in center from right: Ambassador Ivo Šilhavý, Major General Konstantinos Gontikas and Colonel Richard Franc)

Ambassador Ivo Šilhavý thanked the Czech firefighters for their commitment, noting that their deployment represents genuine European solidarity while further strengthening cooperation with their Greek counterparts. He also recalled the successful working visit of Vladimír Vlček, Director General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, who travelled to Athens in April 2026 for bilateral meetings with leadership of the Hellenic Fire Service.

Ambassador Ivo Šilhavý thanked the Czech firefighters

Participation in the EU Prepositioning Programme enables Czech firefighters to gain valuable operational experience in different climatic and geographical conditions, validate operational procedures, test equipment, and strengthen cooperation with international partners. The knowledge and practical experience gained in Greece will contribute to improving the protection of people and the natural environment in the Czech Republic, which has itself experienced weather conditions this year comparable to those of southern Europe. At the same time, the deployment provides an opportunity to introduce Greek colleagues to advanced Czech firefighting technologies. During the visit, Major General Gontikas and members of the Hellenic Fire Service were also introduced to the Catalogue of Czech Firefighting Technologies, prepared on the initiative of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Athens in cooperation with the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, CzechTrade and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Major General Gontikas and Greek firefighters were introduced to the Catalogue of Czech Firefighting Technologies

TATRA fire engines and their equipment attracted considerable interest from Greek firefighters

Since 2022, the EU Prepositioning Programme, organised under the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), has supported participating countries during the wildfire season while providing firefighting teams with valuable operational experience under real conditions. This year, 245 firefighters from the Czech Republic, France, Moldova and Romania will rotate through operational bases in Attica (Nea Makri), Thessaloniki and Patras. At the same time, two specialist Greek forest firefighting units, each consisting of 21 firefighters, will be deployed abroad to gain further operational experience while supporting their European partners. One unit served in Gignac, near Montpellier in southern France, from 1 to 15 July 2026, while the second will be deployed to the Platania Forest Station near Limassol, Cyprus, from 1 to 15 September 2026. Overall, 777 firefighters from 14 countries will participate in this year's EU Prepositioning Programme, making it the largest deployment since the programme was established.

Czech – Greek Solidarity