Cyprus's Fire Brigade launched its 25th annual fire safety week on Monday, with Justice Minister Costas Fitiris using the occasion to highlight the lessons learned from the devastating 2025 Limassol wildfires — chief among them the need for stronger coordination between government services and departments.
Speaking at the launch event, Fitiris was direct in his assessment: "What remains to be improved is the coordination." He stressed that it was imperative to "protect human life, property and the natural environment, which demanded timely planning, being continuously on alert and collective action."
The minister drew an explicit connection between last year's tragedy and the goals of this year's campaign, which runs under the slogan 'Let's Not Let Our Dreams Turn to Ashes'.
"The speed of response and cooperation are of decisive importance, however addressing fires effectively is not just up to the state and its services, but is everyone's responsibility so that we do not repeat the tragic developments of the Limassol wildfire in 2025,"Fitiris said, according to the Cyprus Mail.
Scale of the challenge
Fire service chief Nicos Longinos offered a stark picture of the workload facing Cyprus's firefighters. He noted that the service responds to approximately 13,000 incidents every year, of which around 8,500 are fires — the majority occurring in rural areas. Longinos pointed to a troubling pattern underlying nearly all of them: "The common characteristic of these fires is that over 90 per cent are caused by human intervention."
The statistic underscores the emphasis on public awareness that runs throughout this year's campaign, with organisers framing fire prevention as a shared civic responsibility rather than solely a matter for emergency services.
Honours for community volunteers
The launch ceremony also recognised individuals whose actions during fires and other emergencies have stood out. Savvas Savva, who coordinates fire lookouts and voluntarily supports incidents mainly in the areas of Tseri and Alona, received an honorary plaque for his sustained contribution; he told those gathered that "the ideal would be for fire safety week to be continued all year round," stressing the importance of prevention. Panayiotis Isidorou was recognised after he noticed a fire in a Larnaca flat, entered the burning building and brought the elderly owner and her domestic aide to safety. Menelaos Christofides, who has long placed his agricultural vehicles at the disposal of firefighters, was also honoured for operating machinery during the 2025 Limassol wildfire.
Week culminates in Paphos open day
Events tied to the 25th fire safety week will culminate on 25 April with a public open day at Paphos' medieval castle, running from 10am to 3pm. The open day is intended to give the public a closer look at firefighting equipment and techniques, reinforcing the campaign's message that preventing fire disasters is a responsibility shared by every citizen.
