‘Don’t wait for the fire – prevent it. Fire protection starts with you‘ is the slogan of this year’s Forest Protection Week, which was launched on Monday.

Speaking at the event, forestry department chief Savvas Iezekiel stressed that wildfires remain the most serious threat to Cyprus’ forests, highlighting the importance of prevention, early detection and rapid response.

He said the department’s approach is based on prevention, readiness and suppression, noting that the fire season has already begun, along with full operational deployment. Measures include maintaining firebreak infrastructure, conducting patrols with ground units and drones, and managing vegetation to reduce combustible material.

Iezekiel also referred to the Astrapi first-response strategy, aimed at mobilising maximum forces in the shortest possible time to contain fires at an early stage.

He said a large-scale firefighting exercise, Hephaestus 2026, will take place on May 19 to test coordination among all relevant services.

Speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, director general of the ministry Costas Constantinou underlined that protecting forests is a collective responsibility, describing them as an invaluable natural heritage essential for biodiversity, environmental protection and tackling climate change.

Some of the equipment donated by CyTA

He said prevention, awareness, preparedness and cooperation are key to addressing wildfires and highlighted ongoing investments in infrastructure, technology and forest management.

The awareness campaign will run until Sunday, while its launch was dedicated to senior forest officer Michalis Makris, who died on May 7 after 37 years of service.

During the ceremony, honorary plaques were awarded to two private bulldozer operators for their long-standing contribution to wildfire suppression efforts.

Following the event, two rapid-response fire engines, valued at €88,600 were handed over to the forestry department by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus, while the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority donated wireless networking equipment to support operations.

Authorities also renewed their call for the public to act responsibly and report any signs of fire or smoke immediately, stressing that forest protection is a shared responsibility.