Georgia to host EU-funded multinational exercise on preventing, responding to forest fires

Georgia will host a European Union-funded, multinational, large-scale exercise for developing both prevention and response efforts to forest fires, with the country’s Emergency Management Service joined by counterparts from countries of the bloc’s Eastern Partnership in the initiative.

The Service announced the news on Wednesday, noting the training - to be held next year within the EaP programme for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters -  would be aimed at refining the principles of coordinated action by different countries against forest fires.

Photo: The Emergency Management Service of Georgia

The first conference about the training scenario and logistical questions for the exercise, hosted in Tbilisi today, featured experts of the Service and representatives of partner countries and an EU delegation.

The EU-funded field training will be implemented in Georgia by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, with Azerbaijan, Moldova and Ukraine involved as beneficiary countries.

First launched in 2020, the programme unites state agencies and experts from various leading state bodies, with the Service of the Interior Ministry being the leading participant from Georgia.