The EU's rescue fleet was available this summer with 18 aeroplanes and 5 helicopters.

Omissions

• The European Commission's own 2026 wildfire-season communication states that '22 firefighting airplanes and 5 helicopters from the EU fleet are ready to support countries under pressure' — four more airplanes than the 18 cited in the claim.
• The 22-airplane figure covers the rescEU reserve together with the European Civil Protection Pool (ECPP); the claim's 18 airplanes may refer only to the rescEU reserve, whose exact 2026 size could not be independently confirmed.
• The exact claimed figure (18 airplanes) does not appear explicitly in any source located; only the total fleet figure (22 airplanes + 5 helicopters) could be documented.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission – press release 'EU deploys largest ever wildfire response for 2026 summer' (IP/26/1230)In parallel, 22 firefighting airplanes and 5 helicopters from the EU fleet are ready to support countries under pressure.
• PrimaryEuropean Commission (DG ECHO) – 'EU deploys largest ever wildfire response for 2026 summer'Overview of the 2026 summer fleet supported by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Croatia: 2 medium amphibious airplanes; Cyprus: 2 light ...
• SecondaryEU ECHO (European Commission) – 'How the EU is preparing for the 2026 wildfire season'The 2026 rescEU fleet and the ECPP will include 22 firefighting airplanes (14 medium amphibious airplanes and 8 light aircraft) and 5 ...