At a critical juncture for the country's civil protection, the President of the Republic yesterday chaired a broad meeting aimed at definitively shielding Cyprus in view of the 2026 fire season.
Cyprus has 14 primary aircraft (9 aircraft, 4 helicopters, 1 BB) this year, the largest number in its history. A strategic plan is also being implemented for the gradual acquisition of a privately owned fleet of firefighting aircraft and helicopters, ensuring the country's autonomy and competence for the coming years. At the same time, the hosting area of the Regional Air Firefighting Node (CRAFS) in Paphos was completed.
The Government is implementing a holistic effort to establish a National Civil Protection Mechanism. In May 2026, the contract for the new unified Emergency System NG 112 (New Generation) will be signed, with a completion horizon of 13 months.
The Early Warning System (SMS) is expected to be piloted in early June, with full operation by the end of the month.
Also, the Unified Coordination Center for Operations of the Fire Brigade has already been put into operation, which is interconnected with field surveillance cameras in Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos and data of the Meteorological Service for monitoring meteorological data for fire prevention purposes.
The Department of Forests, responsible for 54% of the free territory, presented impressive data for the past year. In particular, he referred to the effectiveness of 91% of fires where it was extinguished in an area of less than one hectare. The average surgery time remains stable at 11.5 – 12 minutes.
It has the largest fleet it has ever had, with 135 fire trucks and 27 more are expected, while the staffing of forest firefighters and staff is the largest investment in its history.
The Department of Forests is pioneering with controlled burning (pilots in Machairas and Nicosia) and controlled grazing programs to reduce fuel. Furthermore, innovative prevention practices are being implemented, such as remote sensing with automatic detection systems and drones. Also, actions to clean abandoned areas are intensified and ignition outbreaks are reduced with targeted biomass management projects and the creation of fire protection zones.
Despite the progress, the meeting at the Presidential Palace also recorded issues for which there are weaknesses and need improvement:
Countryside: There is an inability to utilize resources for prevention and suppression in the countryside, with the effort to involve the Department of Forests in this part remaining stagnant. The attempted reform effort to involve the Department of Forests in the field of prevention in the countryside does not seem to be progressing and the gap remains.
Institutional reform: The bills for the "Civil Protection Law of 2026" and the renaming of the Ministry of the Interior are pending in Parliament. The bill governs, among other things, the establishment and operation of the new Civil Protection Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as the establishment by law of the National Civil Protection Coordinator and its coordinating function. For the meantime, by decision of the Council of Ministers, until the passage of the bills, Chief Fire Marshal Nikos Longinos was appointed as National Coordinator.
Infrastructure: Significant vacancies for forestry employees remain, a problem that is expected to worsen in the coming years.
Undergrounding of cables: Cooperation with EAC for the implementation of the program.
The National Coordinator, Nikos Longinos, underlined that "there is always room for improvement", focusing on the utilization of the 13 aircraft that are already ready, as well as on the importance of prevention, since the human factor is responsible for over 90% of fires. He also said that every year there are 5.000 fires, a very large number which must be reduced "and this should be done with prevention".
