Swiss Army helps fight fires in Corsica

Swiss Army uses helicopters to fight fires in Corsica Keystone-SDA

Three Swiss Army helicopters took off from a military airbase in Locarno in canton Ticino on Tuesday to help fight forest fires on the French island of Corsica. The mission presents a number of challenges, including heat, smoke and unexpected developments.

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A total of 22 people are on board the three Super Puma helicopters, including firefighting specialists, mechanics and two members of the humanitarian aid team from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). They will coordinate the relief effort on the ground, as head of operations Patrick Egli told Keystone-SDA news agency. The first fire-fighting missions are due to take place from Wednesday.

A team from the humanitarian aid unit is on standby for such “rapid response operations” and is working in close collaboration with the army. Such operations have already been carried out in Montenegro, Italy and Greece, amongst other places. According to the head of operations, this experience is being incorporated into the current mission.

The biggest challenges are the unexpected. The situation is challenging in itself, with another heatwave forecast. “That is why we have a team on the ground capable of finding solutions to problems we have not yet anticipated,” said Egli. The team has the necessary skills and knowledge and is well prepared, he added.

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Helicopter pilot Tobias Müller said the mission involves extinguishing fires on the ground and supporting local emergency services. “We are clarifying exactly what our area of operation will be.” The duration of the mission has been set by the federal government at one week. However, the team is open to extending their support if it is still required.

Heat and smoke pose a challenge

The biggest challenge is coordinating the emergency services on the ground. Added to this is the heat caused by the fire and the weather, as well as the smoke – which is why visibility is limited. “This makes the whole operation challenging from a flying perspective,” he said. A great deal of coordination is required due to the other helicopters and aircraft on site. Like Switzerland, Corsica has mountains, so the crew are familiar with flying in such terrain.

The operation falls under the overall responsibility of the Federal Humanitarian Aid programme, which is part of the SDC within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The costs associated with the operation are covered by existing appropriations from the FDFA and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).

Since Saturday, around 30 members of the Geneva Fire and Rescue Service have also been assisting with fire-fighting operations on the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux (France). This operation is scheduled to last until August 1.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.