Volunteer Fire Brigades Survey Their Available Reserves Nationwide

France – 29 July 2026: Following severe wildfires in several regions, attention is turning to the staffing reserves of France’s civil protection system. The Syndicat des sapeurs-pompiers volontaires de France has announced a nationwide survey of qualifications and availability. The organization representing volunteer firefighters warns that services are increasingly reaching their capacity limits during prolonged fires and other major emergencies.

The survey is intended to identify what specialist knowledge active and former volunteers have, how quickly they could be mobilized and under what conditions they would be willing to take part in reinforcement deployments. According to the association, the information is intended to help determine local shortages and available reserves more precisely. It is not yet known when initial results may be available.

The association estimates that France could need an additional 150,000 to 200,000 volunteer firefighters in the coming years. This is a forecast by the representative organization, not an official assessment of staffing needs. It cites more frequent and longer-lasting major deployments, in which units from several departments must relieve one another over several days.

Official statistics demonstrate the importance of volunteers to the existing system. As of 31 December 2025, France had 200,961 volunteer firefighters out of a total of 258,641 operational personnel. They therefore account for more than three quarters of the workforce. In 2025, fire and rescue services handled 4.89 million callouts. Under the new official recording system, fires accounted for six percent of these; a large share of the work involves medical emergencies and assistance operations.

The ongoing wildfire season is intensifying the strain. According to the Interior Ministry on 27 July, 116,085 hectares have burned in France since the start of the year. Particularly severe fires have challenged emergency crews in Gironde and the Landes department. For such situations, national reinforcement columns with 3,500 personnel and more than 700 specialized vehicles are available.

Volunteers perform their duties primarily alongside work, education and family commitments. Their availability during working hours therefore often depends on support from employers. The state action plan for 2026 to 2028 provides for closer cooperation with companies, more flexible training pathways and better recognition of acquired skills. According to the Interior Ministry, 5,297 companies now hold a state partner label for supporting volunteer firefighters.

The association’s survey is intended to supplement these measures with a more detailed assessment of existing resources. For incident commanders, information on qualifications and short-notice availability is especially important when fires, evacuations and other emergencies tie up personnel in several regions simultaneously.