Forest fires are one of the most serious natural disasters of essential security, said the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panagiotou, noting at the same time that as of this month, the Forestry Department has fully activated its forces, starting the period alert for fires a month earlier than the established schedule, i.e. from April 1 instead of May 1.
In her greeting, at a Workshop on "Integrated Fire Management", which was addressed by the Director of her office, Theodoulos M. Makrygiannis, Mrs. Panagiotou mentioned that according to the "National Risk Assessment of the Republic of Cyprus for 2018", the forest fires present the highest level of risk, compared to other phenomena such as earthquakes, coastal erosion or floods.
"This practically means the readiness of the ground forces and an increase in the capacity to respond to fires, in light of the changes in climatic data that climate change has brought," he stressed.
The Minister of Agriculture stated that today's theme of the workshop "Integrated Fire Management", which is being developed in the framework of the "SEMEDFIRE" project, in the presence of distinguished scientists, professionals and experts from Cyprus and abroad, highlights the necessity of studying and taking effective measures to deal with difficult and complex problem of forest fires.
"By protecting our forests from fires, we keep intact not only an important economic capital, but also the cultural elements, the creations of nature and man, which have evolved through the centuries. We preserve our very existence on a planet that is constantly changing and facing ever-increasing threats. Forest fires are one of the most serious natural disasters of essential safety. According to the "National Risk Assessment of the Republic of Cyprus for 2018", forest fires present the highest level of risk, compared to other phenomena, such as earthquakes, coastal erosion or floods", he added.
As Ms. Panagiotou said, the increasing frequency and extent of fires, which is worsening mainly due to the effects of climate change and the abandonment of the countryside, indicates that we should not be complacent.
"Climate change, which is happening all over the planet, has a strong impact on our country, making fires more frequent and widespread than ever before. Drought, high temperatures and strong winds intensify this trend, which should be addressed with feasible and effective practices. Practices, based on scientific knowledge and the development of research and technology, which should reach the forestry practice and be implemented", he added.
As a Government, continued the Minister of Agriculture, "we focus on a coordinated and comprehensive approach, promoting the creation of an effective road map for fire prevention and protection".
"In this context, I am in close communication and coordination with all fellow Ministers, their departments and services, with the aim of taking additional measures where necessary," he noted.
He also stated that as the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, the promotion of research, information and the development of open dialogue on issues related to forests and the natural environment are their basic tools.
“From this month, the Forest Department of our Ministry has put its forces into full force, starting the fire watch period a month earlier than the established schedule, that is, from April 1 instead of May 1,” he said.
This, he noted, "practically means the readiness of ground forces and an increase in the ability to respond to fires, in light of the changes in climatic data that climate change has brought."
"With our tripartite prevention, preparedness and suppression, we aim to strengthen the integrated forest fire management system," he added.
As he said, at the present stage, the planning for the integration of new technologies is underway by the Forestry Department, which will assist in the further surveillance of forest areas and the detection of fires, as well as in the transfer of a real live image to the Operations Centers.
"At the same time, we are proceeding with the implementation of the vegetation management study with the aim of strengthening the fire protection of forests and forest communities. It is worth mentioning that the Department of Forestry, both in terms of training in the management of preventive preparation and equipment, is today more prepared than ever, compared to previous years, and this in order to be able to respond to the increased challenges ahead," he noted.
Referring specifically to the equipment, Ms. Panayiotou said that thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture, which have borne fruit, the Forestry Department has already received five fire engines, while it is about to receive another five within this year, as well as the gradual receipt of another 32 by 2026.
"The receipt of 75 personnel transport vehicles has also been completed. Eight crawler earth movers, four excavators, nine agricultural tractors and six branch cutters have also enriched the Department's operational fleet. In addition, the installation of a fire-fighting material supply system for the aviation vehicles of the Forestry Department at Paphos Airport has been completed. The process for the procurement of three firefighting aircraft, six tankers and four earth mover transport platforms by 2026 has also been set in motion,” he added.
He stated, at the same time, that part of the equipment, which he has mentioned, is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, intervention "Protection of forests from fires", which provides for the reinforcement of the Forestry Department in machinery and fire-fighting equipment, in a total amount of €25,7 million ., while the rest are from national resources.
"In addition to the above, in a recent broad meeting under the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis on the subject of dealing with fires and natural phenomena, measures were decided to prevent and deal with fires, as well as operational readiness for civil protection," he said.
"The upgrading of the Civil Defense to a Civil Protection Service, the integration of an aerial forest firefighting unit into the National Guard, the reopening of the Forestry College, the submission of amending bills regarding the tightening of penalties, the submission of a proposal for the utilization, training and insurance of volunteers are being promoted , as well as the gradual acquisition by the state of ten firefighting aircraft in the coming years", he concluded.
Source: KYPE