Airbus Boosting Capabilities to Help Fight Fires Ravaging Europe

(Bloomberg) — Airbus SE, the world’s largest aircraft maker, is looking to play a bigger role in fighting wildfires as flames engulf parts of France and Spain, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists.

Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury told reporters on Wednesday that the European manufacturer is accelerating work on the A400M four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft to boost firefighting capabilities so the French government and air force can support missions to contain fires.

“We think there are reasons to believe that this type of solution will be in greater demand and that we need to support governments and institutions more,” Faury said. “Not only the number but also the severity of fires are unprecedented,” he added.

Seven NATO countries (Belgium, Croatia, France, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the UK) announced an initiative to establish a multinational A400M fleet earlier this month.

Faury said Airbus can bring together capabilities from its business, from earth observation satellites and drones to planes and helicopters, to provide a comprehensive solution for detecting and preventing fires.

Spain and France have been at the epicenter of Europe’s wildfire season, which began earlier this year and accelerated as successive heat waves scorched vegetation, making it easier for flames to spread rapidly. More than 200,000 residents and tourists were forced to flee fires in southwestern France.

The Toulouse, France-based aircraft manufacturer does not have a dedicated firefighting aircraft like the fleet built by Canadian aviation companies. Converted Boeing Co. 747 planes have been used in the past to help fight wildfires.

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