Forest fire control operation GFFF-V DE1 in Spain successfully concluded in the NRW region.
German Wildfire Unit Completes Successful Two-Week Deployment in Spain
The German forest fire unit, GFFF-V DE1, has returned to North Rhine-Westphalia after a successful two-week deployment in Spain, where they provided support for large-scale forest and vegetation fires in the regions of Extremadura and Castile and León.
The unit, known as the "Wildfire Module," consists of the components Command, Firefighting Vehicles, Logistics, and Catering. The firefighting vehicle component includes six high-clearance tanker trucks and two firefighting vehicles for disaster protection.
The NRW Wildfire Unit, a certified wildfire unit registered with the European Union under the name GFFF-V DE1, has previously been deployed in Greece (2021) and France (2022), and it received EU certification in 2023. The cities that are part of GFFF-V DE1 include Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Stuttgart.
The unit was set up in the municipality of Aldeanueva del Camino (Extremadura) on a local sports field. During their deployment, the forces were particularly challenged in the areas of the municipalities of La Baña and San Ciprián, where a large forest fire was spreading in mountainous terrain.
In grueling manual labor and under challenging terrain conditions, hotspots were detected, control lines were established, and fires were extinguished. Logistics always includes an ambulance for medical care and a workshop vehicle with automotive specialists to immediately fix technical defects.
Upon their return, the deployment forces reported overwhelming gratitude from the Spanish population. Frank Frenser, Media Officer in the on-site team leadership, explained that the forces brought back valuable experiences that will directly feed into concepts and structures for wildfire management in Germany.
Press inquiries can be directed to the Fire and Rescue Service Bonn Press Office, David Bormann, at Phone: 0228 717-0, Email: [email protected], or visit www.bonn.de/feuerwehr for more information.
The requesting states can expect reliable capabilities and an autonomous deployment independent of local supply structures from the GFFF-V DE1 unit. GFFF-V stands for "Ground Forest Firefighting using Vehicles" and denotes a standardized firefighting formation across all EU member states. These vehicles can be deployed in two shifts around the clock with 23 deployment forces each.
The deployment ended after a week of on-site operations and the return journey took place in three daily stages from August 27 to August 29. The NRW Wildfire Unit is ready to respond to future calls for assistance, demonstrating their commitment to supporting fellow EU members in times of need.
