30/08/2019 (Agence Europe) – Following a formal request for assistance from Bolivian authorities on Thursday 29 August, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated. The European Commission immediately mobilised a team of experts from EU Member States to be deployed to the Chiquitania region, which is also engulfed by forest fires. The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) is in contact with the Bolivian authorities to monitor developments on the ground and mobilise additional European assistance, if required. The Copernicus satellite service is providing maps of areas hit by the fires. “The fires in the Amazon region show that climate change has increased the threat of natural disasters globally”, said Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. (MB)