As Europe experiences one of the worst wildfire seasons in its history, the Financial Times has reported that the number of Canadair amphibious firefighting aircraft — considered critical for combating forest fires — is proving insufficient. Expanding fires, particularly in France and Spain, have reignited debate over Europe’s preparedness for climate-related extreme weather events.
According to the Financial Times, Europe’s fleet of Canadair amphibious firefighting aircraft, one of the continent’s most important aerial response tools, is too small to cope with the scale of the current wildfire crisis.
The newspaper said that the major fires that have erupted in recent weeks, especially in France and Spain, have once again raised questions about Europe’s level of preparedness for extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Record wildfire season in France and Spain
French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country is facing the highest number of forest fires since the end of the Second World War.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that around 150,000 hectares of forest had burned in Spain since the beginning of 2026 and that 13 people had lost their lives in the fires.
The Financial Times stressed that the disasters have highlighted not only the scale of the fires but also the shortcomings in Europe’s aerial firefighting fleet.
Canadair fleet unable to meet demand
According to the report, France has only 12 Canadair amphibious aircraft, while Spain has 14.
With fires occurring simultaneously in multiple regions, the existing fleets are struggling to provide adequate response capacity, a situation that has triggered political debate.
New aircraft will not arrive for at least two more years
European Union Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib announced that the EU has ordered 12 new Canadair aircraft.
However, the Financial Times reported that the first deliveries are not expected before 2028, while the entire fleet is unlikely to become operational until the early 2030s.
Lahbib said the new aircraft would strengthen Europe’s firefighting capacity, but warned that this will take time.
Extreme heat is worsening the crisis
Europe is currently grappling with one of the most severe heatwaves in recent years.
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece are among the countries experiencing the harshest impacts of high temperatures and drought. Experts warn that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of major wildfires.
French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard also stated in late June that extreme heat was seriously affecting not only forests but also the country’s agricultural production.