Poles help Czechs to tackle wildfires raging in national park

The fight against the raging wildfire is carried out by seven helicopters, including five Czech machines and one from each Poland and Slovakia. Another Czech helicopter is also used to coordinate the operation, but it does not carry water. Two Canadair class planes arrived on Wednesday from Italy.

The planes load water straight from Milada Lake located between Usti nad Labem and the Bohemian Switzerland park. The artificial lake was created where a former lignite mine had used to be. The area has been cordoned off, but many people have lined up along the lake shore to watch the aircraft scoop up the water.

Polish Fire Service spokesperson Karol Kierzkowski informed that Polish firefighters and police taking part in the mission had carried out a total of four flights.

"In their (the flights - edit.) duration, a total of 134 water drops were conducted, each one of 3,000 litres, which gives us approx. 400,000 litres of water," Kierzkowski said.

TVN24 crew - reporter Bartłomiej Ślak and camera operator Marcin Walczak - have been watching the firefighting mission on the spot.

The battle against the wildfire is carried out by 80 teams of a total of 450 firefighters.

According to an air patrol, the biggest attractions of the region - Pravcice Gate - most likely has not been damaged. The firefighters also decided further evacuation of surrounding villages were not necessary anymore.

Future developments are hugely dependent on the weather, especially on the force of the wind.

Firefighters reinforced by units from neighbouring Germany, Poland and Slovakia - supported by Italian planes - have been battling a wildfire in a Czech national park since Sunday. The flames have destroyed houses and forced authorities to evacuate villages. The blaze covering around 30 hectares in a popular tourist area on the German border sent smoke drifting across the country, including to the capital Prague located some 130 miles away, Prague and regional fire departments said on Tuesday. Firefighters, who suspect a park visitor started the blaze after leaving a campfire unattended over the weekend in the area known as Czech Switzerland, had the situation under control until changing winds fuelled the wildfire. A brutal heat wave last week with temperature spikes above 40 Celsius led to wildfires across swathes of southern Europe.