€4.2 million to boost fire prevention measures

An extra €4.16 million for measures aimed at preventing and responding to agricultural and forest fires has been approved by the Council of Ministers, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Saturday.

“The government’s goal is to strengthen the effort for appropriate preparation to deal with agricultural and forest fires, in view of the summer season,” he told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

According to Ioannou, the amount of €4.16 million was decided on following cost estimates by the district administrations in February.

The sum is earmarked for several prevention measures including the cleaning of abandoned agricultural land near communities to prevent fires, subsidies for purchasing fire trucks and firefighting equipment by community councils and the rental of earth movers during the summer period.

A portion of the funds will be reserved for the procurement of small, single-cabin fire engines, fitted with a fire pump or an autonomous fire extinguishing system for community councils. Priority will be given to communities adjacent to forests where there is a shortage of such equipment.

Further funds are to be allocated so community councils can proceed swiftly with these measures.

He said a total of 20 vehicles (12 earth movers and eight tankers) will be placed at points in Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos, determined following a risk analysis and operational assessment by the competent services.

The forestry department already implements this practice with vehicles placed in areas under its responsibility, contributing positively to the faster extinguishing of fires, Ioannou said.

“In combination with the appointment of a national coordinator for fires, the government’s goal is to ensure the best possible and timely preparation, both of the competent state services and of the communities themselves, in view of the fire season,” he said.

He said that so far, €1 million has been granted to 16 community. A further €2.1 million has been approved for 23 community clusters. This is to carry out clearing work for fire protection purposes.

In addition, the percentage of grants to communities for the purchase of fire trucks has been from 50 per cent to 80 per cent.