The tendering process for the purchase of three firefighting aircraft is underway, one of which will be financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, said Andreas Grigoriou, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Friday.
Mr Grigoriou stated that the tender is part of the broader objective to acquire a total of 10 proprietary aerial firefighting assets within the next five years, with an option to purchase five more aircraft.
Regarding the current fire season, Mr Grigoriou noted that 13 primary aerial firefighting assets were operationally available, comprising nine aeroplanes and four helicopters. Helicopters from the National Guard and the Police are also in operational readiness as secondary assets.
Technological Enhancement and Surveillance
Addressing technology, the Director General stressed that “there is a comprehensive plan to enhance the surveillance system for forested areas, the early detection of fires, and the transmission of images to Operational Centres.”
According to Mr Grigoriou, Phase A of the plan is already complete and includes, among other things, the development of a basic wireless data transfer network, the pilot installation of four fire detection sensors in forested areas, and the procurement of five drone systems.
He added that Phase B of the Programme includes actions for the Department of Forests, the Fire Service, and the National Guard. For the Department of Forests, this phase provides for the installation of 15 additional electro-optical systems for automated fire detection, the development of specialised risk forecasting and fire evolution simulation software, the procurement of two observation balloon trailers, the purchase of three mobile operational centres, as well as the upgrade of existing drone systems and the Department of Forests’ General Operations Centre, and the procurement of IT technology and related network equipment for the personnel and assets to be acquired.
Furthermore, Mr Grigoriou mentioned that the TETRA telecommunication system has been introduced for use by the Department of Forests since the start of this year’s high-risk fire period. He said, “This specific system will significantly improve internal communication both among the Department of Forests’ personnel and, crucially, among the Services involved in fire management.”
Ground Assets and Climate Change
Mr Grigoriou also referenced the significant reinforcement of the Department of Forests’ ground firefighting assets achieved in recent years. Since 2023, through the Recovery and Resilience Plan, a number of assets have been purchased, including: 25 special-purpose and all-terrain firefighting vehicles with a capacity to carry two tonnes of water; eight tracked earth movers; four wheeled excavators; four loaders/platforms for transporting earth movers; six tanker vehicles with a capacity to carry 12 tonnes of water; six agricultural tractors; and 75 personnel transport vehicles.
Additionally, he added that the Department of Forests will receive 17 large firefighting vehicles with a capacity to carry six tonnes of water in 2026, 12 of which will be financed through the Recovery and Resilience Plan and five through national funding. Furthermore, three agricultural tractors have been bought using National Resources, while two truck/platforms for transporting earth movers and 10 rapid intervention firefighting vehicles were recently delivered.
“Unfortunately, the climate change observed in every corner of the planet is also affecting Cyprus, with temperatures recording an upward trend and rainfall declining,” Mr Grigoriou noted.
These conditions, he continued, undoubtedly “have an impact on fires, causing changes in their frequency and intensity, increasing the occurrence of large-scale fire incidents with particularly devastating consequences.” Weather conditions, combined with the abandonment of the countryside and changes in land use, are intensifying the trend of recent years towards more difficult fire seasons, he concluded.