Large-scale Latvian-Lithuanian cross-border forest firefighting exercise planned with Interreg support

At the end of July, Klaipėda (Lithuania) hosted a scenario planning meeting for a large-scale cross-border forest firefighting exercise under the FIRELESS (LL-00275) project.

During the meeting, Lithuanian colleagues presented the planned location for the exercise and demonstrated the resources to be deployed by the Lithuanian side. Given the scale, scenario, and objectives of the exercise, Latvian representatives put forward recommendations to optimize the training and allow for a more effective test of cross-border cooperation.

In large-scale cross-border incidents, effective communication, coordination, and unified resource management among the participating rescue services are critical. The exercise aims to test information flow, decision-making, cooperation, and logistics processes, as well as several key operational capabilities.

The meeting proved productive, fostering a shared understanding of the exercise goals, scenario, and next steps in preparation.

The large-scale cross-border forest firefighting exercise under the FIRELESS project is scheduled for September 10–11 in the Kretinga district, Samogitia region. It will bring together representatives from Latvian and Lithuanian services and other stakeholders to jointly test cooperation and response capabilities.

Project activities are financed by the European Union Interreg Latvia–Lithuania Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2021–2027.