ANKARA 

The European Union (EU) Monday mobilized eight firefighting planes to help Portugal contain wildfires.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on X that the bloc “stands with Portugal as it battles major wildfires.”

“We are urgently mobilising 8 firefighting planes via our Civil Protection Mechanism to help local first responders,” she said, and thanked France, Greece, Italy, and Spain “for their rapid reaction.”

As wildfires broke out over the weekend in several rural regions, mostly in the northern and central parts of the country, and the blazes started threatening residential areas, Portugal’s Civil Protection said on X.

Some residents had to be evacuated, and roads were blocked to ensure security due to approaching blazes, broadcaster RTP reported.