Fire chief Nikos Longinos is being appointed interim National Coordinator for wildfires until the legislative framework for the National Civil Protection Mechanism is passed. The decision is expected shortly from the Council of Ministers.
Last year’s lesson — the deadly Malia fire that exposed huge coordination gaps between the Fire Service, Forestry Department, Civil Defence and Police — forced the government to act decisively.
Longinos will assume central coordination in every major fire, ending the longstanding dispute over who bears ultimate responsibility. His deputy in the Fire Service command will be senior officer Christoforos Stylianou.
In parallel, former National Guard chief Georgios Tzitzikostas has been identified as the permanent National Coordinator. He is considered the right fit, having been tested during the major Limassol fire.
Under the Council of Ministers’ decision of September 2025, the mechanism will unify the Fire Service, Forestry Department and Civil Defence under a single operations centre at the Ministry of the Interior and Civil Protection.
The relevant bills are in their final stages of preparation before being sent to Parliament. The aim: to have everything ready before the fire season begins in May.
