The Ministry of the Interior has paid €13 million in compensation to those affected by last year’s devastating fire in the mountainous region of Limassol, the Ministry’s Director General, Elikkos Ilias, said on Thursday, before the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs, which was briefed on the adequacy of personnel, resources, and equipment for fire prevention and suppression.

For his part, the General Coordinator for Major Fires, Chief Fire Officer Nikos Logginos, stated that as of May 1, the Republic of Cyprus has 13 aircraft at its disposal, adding that by the end of the year it will have two more.

At the start of the meeting, the Committee Chair, AKEL Member of Parliament Aristos Damianou, announced that next Thursday the Committee will hold a courtesy meeting with the Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou. At the same time, he briefed the new members of the Committee on the issues it will be addressing in the coming period.

The Director General of the Ministry of the Interior, Elikkos Ilias, noted that various agencies are undertaking numerous concurrent initiatives to prevent fires. At the same time, he noted that the Ministry and the District Administrations are assisting the Fire Service and the Forestry Department in clearing dry vegetation, adding that the Game and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the Forestry Department, is conducting patrols on a 24-hour basis.

The government’s intention is to establish the General Directorate of Civil Protection, said Mr. Ilias, asking the Committee on Internal Affairs to examine the government bill as a matter of priority. “We need the public’s help to prevent disasters,” he emphasized.

Responding to a question from Mr. Damianou, he noted that an opinion on the legality of CY–ALERT has been obtained from the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection.

For his part, Mr. Logginos stated that the Ministry of the Interior allocated 3 million euros to the communities to carry out cleanup efforts, adding that the areas requiring cleanup have been identified for the community leaders. At the same time, he said that cleaning around the perimeter is extremely important, as is cleaning within the communities.

He also noted that cameras have been installed in rural areas in the districts of Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos. “Since the beginning of the year, we have responded to 1,250 wildfires,” he said, adding that “we are doing everything we can to reduce the likelihood of a fire breaking out.”

Mr. Loginos also emphasized that the contribution of volunteer teams has been exceptional, noting that the “Pyrsos” and “Polybios” plans have been updated. He also mentioned that he has requested that water tanker vehicles be deployed in rural areas, noting that monitors have been installed at the Zenon Fire Control Center in Larnaca to oversee the fleet of vehicles used for firefighting.

He added that he himself had prepared and submitted a study to the Ministry of Justice, in which he calls for 24-hour staffing of rural fire stations and the creation of 14 new ones. “For the first time, we have meteorological data from the Department of Meteorology that allow us to take preventive action,” he noted.

Savvas Ezekiel, Director of the Forestry Department, stated that since April 1, the Department has been on high alert, adding that fire lookout stations have been staffed and that all fire trucks and earth-moving equipment have been maintained.

“We have three electro-optical camera systems,” he noted, emphasizing that “we will install another 16 such cameras in rural areas.” At the same time, he pointed out that “we need to focus more on prevention,” noting that fire suppression is more costly. “We have carried out controlled burns, and we will intensify these efforts starting in the fall,” he added.

Deputy Police Chief Panikos Stavrou stated that in the event of a fire, the police facilitate traffic flow, assists in the evacuation of affected areas, and grants emergency services access to its radio frequencies for better coordination. At the same time, he said that as of March 1, in consultation with community leaders, they are exploring ways to facilitate a more effective evacuation of areas.

For his part, the Deputy Commander of Civil Defense, Theodoros Lemoniatis, reported that the Service had visited all communities in Cyprus and updated the “Polybios” plan.

Referring to the CY-ALERT app, he said that the trial period had ended, adding that the app is now fully operational. At the same time, he noted that communication groups with community leaders have been created on a social media platform.

Pantelis Hatzigerou, Head of the Game and Wildlife Service, reported that the Service patrols rural areas 24 hours a day. At the same time, he emphasized that agricultural areas in the countryside have been abandoned, noting that farming must resume in order to limit wildfires.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance stated that the issue of compensation for last year’s fires is being handled by the Ministry of the Interior.

Mr. Loginos also noted that “we are also monitoring the Buffer Zone,” noting that the Republic of Cyprus is responsible for extinguishing fires there in coordination with the United Nations.

At the same time, he noted that extinguishing fires in the Buffer Zone is not easy, partly due to the presence of minefields. He also said that as of May 1, the Republic of Cyprus has 13 aircraft at its disposal, adding that it will have two more by the end of the year.

For his part, Mr. Ilias noted that the Ministry’s expenditures for compensating those affected by the fires in Limassol amount to 13 million euros. He also noted that 758 applications were submitted on time and have been reviewed, adding that 119 households received a one-time payment, 133 households received the first installment, 38 households received two installments, and 14 households received three installments. There are 88 families who also received the fourth rent installment, she said.

DISY MP Nikoletta Konstantinou asked whether any gaps had been identified during the exercise conducted by the agencies to assess their level of coordination.

DISY MP Andreas Konstantinou asked when the power distribution systems would become operational.

DISY MP Charalambos Petridis requested details regarding the European firefighting hub.

AKEL MP Ephraim Christou referred to complaints from citizens regarding difficulties in communicating with the District Administrations regarding the issue of compensation.

AKEL MP Valentinos Fakontis highlighted the depopulation of rural areas and the need to preserve natural firebreaks. He asked whether EAC power lines passing through sensitive areas would be replaced.

ELAM MP Evgenios Hamboullas pointed out that the issue of controlled burns should be examined in greater detail. He noted that the Republic of Cyprus’s earlier decision to uproot vineyards proved disastrous, asking whether incentives would be provided for planting vineyards as firebreaks. At the same time, he said that there are differing approaches between the Department of Forests and the Fire Service regarding fire management.

ELAM MP Andreas Papacharalambous expressed satisfaction with the increased operational readiness of the firefighting services.

DIKO MP, Panikos Leonidou, asked whether timelines had been set for implementing the necessary measures, noting that a study must be conducted in areas where vineyards have been uprooted. At the same time, he commended the Ministry of the Interior for its “impeccable,” as he put it, handling of the issue of compensation for those affected by the fires.

DIKO MP Andreas Apostolou submitted a question regarding the plan to ensure the proper maintenance of firefighting equipment.

Alma Movement MP Michalis Paraskevas, submitted a question regarding the diversion of the Kourris River and how this might affect the response to a fire that could break out in the area.

Dimitris Souglis, a Member of Parliament for Direct Democracy, asked how the coordination of operational capabilities is being achieved and whether additional aircraft have been leased. At the same time, he mentioned delays in the payment of compensation.

Responding to questions from members of the Internal Affairs Committee, Mr. Ilias stated that the Limassol District Administration had decided to purchase 17 fire trucks, adding that the relevant contract had been signed.

For his part, Nikos Loginos said that the EAC is notified of fires caused by its own cables or transformers. Responding to a question from Aristos Damianos, he said that the fire in Farmaka was caused by an EAC transformer.

Furthermore, he noted that 60 people were hired this year and have been assigned to their home districts, noting that the National Guard was instructed to maintain the center that has been set up at the “Andreas Papandreou” Air Base.

“We have revised our action plans,” he added, emphasizing that “we are doing everything we can to reduce the likelihood of a fire starting and spreading.” Helicopters can draw water from the Kourris River in the event of a fire, he noted.

Mr. Ezekiel stated that by the end of the year, the Republic of Cyprus will have these electric vehicles at its disposal. At the same time, he noted that the Department of Forests had proposed controlled grazing as early as 2016, pointing out that controlled burning has less impact than an uncontrolled fire.

Mr. Lemoniatis said that users of the CY-ALERT app who have updated their mobile phones are receiving messages as usual, clarifying that this is a supplementary measure.

Mr. Hatzigerou emphasized the need to bury and insulate the EAC’s cables, calling for better cooperation with the EAC on this issue. Agricultural production in mountainous areas must be subsidized, he noted.

In remarks following the Committee meeting, Mr. Damianou noted with satisfaction that all relevant agencies have been mobilized, while expressing his hope and wish “that, should similar challenges—God forbid—arise this summer, the commitments and promises will be turned into action and we will be able to effectively combat the wildfires, which are now also a result of the climate crisis.”

At the same time, she noted that the Committee’s first meetings following the August recess will focus on the legislative framework and civil protection.

Ms. Konstantinou noted that special attention must be given to the Paphos district at this time, as Limassol has already paid a heavy price due to the fires.

“The government’s role is clear: to provide first responders with everything they need to combat fires as effectively as possible. They must have personnel, equipment, vehicles, communication tools, clear procedures, well-defined responsibilities, and full support,” he emphasized.

Mr. Hamboullas stated that ELAM has submitted a memorandum containing 26 questions to all relevant agencies, noting that it has proposed the creation of firebreaks and the provision of incentives in agricultural areas.

Mr. Leonidou emphasized that prevention is the most effective form of civil protection. “The state must have all the necessary infrastructure and resources in place so that we do not once again face tragic consequences that could have been avoided,” he stressed.

Dimitris Souglis, a member of parliament for Direct Democracy, stated that he is not convinced that last year’s catastrophic wildfire in the Limassol mountains will not happen again, nor that the necessary coordination of operational capabilities across all agencies is in place. “I very much fear that this year we may also be mourning a burned-out Troodos,” he added.

For his part, Mr. Logginos stated that the bid for the electric fire towers has been awarded, and they will be installed by the end of the year in 13 industrial areas, adding that by early 2027, the Department of Forests will install another 16 fire detection systems, which will cover approximately 80% of the forests and open countryside. He noted that there are concerns regarding illegal dumps, pointing out that of the 1,250 wildfires that have occurred since the beginning of 2026, 7 occurred at illegal landfills.

Source: KYPE