The Cabinet approved on 26 March the allocation of €4.16 million for the implementation of additional measures aimed at strengthening the prevention and response to rural and forest fires, Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou said in a statement issued today.
According to the minister, the measures include clearing abandoned agricultural land and areas surrounding communities for fire protection purposes, subsidising the purchase of firefighting vehicles and firefighting equipmentby Community Councils, and the leasing and positioning of bulldozers and water tankers at predetermined locations during the summer period.
“The government’s aim is to strengthen efforts for proper preparation and prevention in addressing rural and forest fires ahead of the summer period,” he noted.
Ioannou said the €4.16 million will be allocated for clearing abandoned agricultural land and areas around communities for fire protection purposes. The funds will be granted either through Community Service Clusters or directly to Community Councils, so that the procedures for tendering and carrying out the work can be completed more quickly.
He added that the amount was determined following cost estimates prepared by the District Administrations last February, in consultation with the Community Clusters.
He also said that as part of proper preparation, and to assist Community Councils, the Fire Service has in recent weeks been visiting communities and, in cooperation with local leaders, determining the radius around villages where firebreak zones must be created.
Part of the funding will also be used to subsidise Community Councils for the purchase of single-cab firefighting vehicles equipped with a fire pump or autonomous firefighting system. Priority will be given to communities participating in clusters located near forests, as well as to clusters where the total number of firefighting vehicles is less than 50% of the total number of communities in the cluster.
It is recalled that, following a Cabinet decision last May, the subsidy rate granted to communities for the purchase of firefighting vehicles was increased from 50% to 80%. Since the implementation of the increased subsidy in May 2025, the Interior Ministry has approved 32 additional requests from Community Councils, with a total subsidy amount of €1.28 million.
Part of the funding will also be allocated for the leasing and deployment of bulldozers and water tankers placed on standby at predetermined strategic locations during the summer period, from 1 June 2026 to 30 September 2026.
This practice is already being applied by the Department of Forests, which has stationed vehicles in areas under its responsibility, contributing positively to the faster and more effective suppression of fires. The recent Cabinet decision therefore extends this coverage to rural areas, improving surveillance across a wider geographical area and strengthening the ability of the relevant services to respond to fire incidents.
In total, 12 bulldozers and eight water tankers will be deployed at locations in the districts of Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos, selected following risk analysis and operational evaluation by the competent authorities.
In addition, a programme is being prepared by the District Administrations for clearing roads in communities at the end of April and the beginning of May. At the same time, instructions have been given to District Administrations to carry out inspections to confirm that the necessary clearing has been carried out around and within residential zones of villages.
Ioannou added that these measures form part of a broader package of actions previously approved by the Cabinet to strengthen fire prevention and firefighting preparedness, particularly targeting rural and mountainous communities.
Among other measures, €1 million was allocated to 16 Community Clusters including communities near forests, €2.1 million was approved for 23 Community Clusters to carry out land clearing for fire protection, and the subsidy rate for communities purchasing firefighting vehicles was increased from 50% to 80%.
“Combined with the appointment of a National Fire Coordinator, the government’s aim is to ensure the best possible and timely preparation of both the competent state services and the communities themselves ahead of the fire season,” the minister concluded.