Cyprus Fire Service has already moved into summer-readiness mode, presenting detailed 2025 figures and its operational plan for the upcoming season. Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos said the service responded to 13,401 incidents, including 7,154 fires.
The trend is upward: fires rose by 4.31% in urban areas and by 8.81% in rural areas compared with 2024. Burned land in rural regions reached 133.46 square kilometres. In rescue and special-response operations, 1,959 people were saved out of 2,307 calls, while 41 people lost their lives. Ten deaths were linked directly to fires.
A key concern remains night-time coverage in mountainous communities, where rural stations are closed overnight. According to the data presented, 5,171 responses were recorded between 19:00 and 08:00, including 1,180 fire incidents. Service leadership says rural stations should operate on a 24-hour basis.
For the fire season, planning includes 13 aerial assets, including the new aircraft acquired by the Republic. At the same time, the service is advancing staff recruitment, fleet renewal, early smoke-detection systems, and infrastructure upgrades in Ayia Napa, Pachna, Eptagonia, and Larnaca.
On prevention, the service carried out 180 ex officio inspections in industrial premises and leisure venues. The checks showed high non-compliance rates with fire safety standards, which officials say requires immediate corrective action.
