Dominating the news cycles in much of Europe is this year’s intense fire season which is on track to break records. Reflecting the scale of the season is the announcement by Avincis that compared with the 2025 season its teams in Italy, Portugal and Spain have flown 90% more aerial firefighting missions. This translates to around 9,200 hours and nearly 3,900 AFF missions flown delivering 200 million litres of water.
While the company operates and integrated response model which allows the shifting of aircraft and personnel it meet demand the company is facing a situation where fires are propagating in a number of centre at the same time.
Commenting on the situation Avincis CEO John Boag said “Wildfire seasons are becoming longer, and the pressure is being felt across the industry. Aircraft that once operated for three or four months during the summer are now required from as early as March through to October. This makes it more difficult to move aircraft and crews between regions, recruit experienced pilots and plan for a season that no longer has a clearly defined end point.
“Meeting this demand is not only about aircraft—it is about people. Our focus is on training our crews throughout the year and ensuring close coordination between firefighters on the ground and pilots in the air. That teamwork is what makes the difference when a fire breaks out.”
Image: Avincis
