The community leader of Agia Anna has made serious allegations regarding fire prevention measures and the handling of the wildfire that broke out following the destruction of munitions at the Kalo Chorio firing range, claiming that firebreaks had remained uncleared for years and that the blaze was allowed to burn inside the range.
Speaking on Politis Radio's Proini Epitheorisi programme with Katerina Eliadi, Anastasis Georgiou said local authorities had been informed in advance that ammunition disposal operations would take place at the firing range.
However, he argued that prior notification did not absolve the authorities of responsibility for implementing all necessary safety measures, particularly during a period of extreme wildfire danger.
"When an explosion is due to take place at a specific location, they know where and when it will happen. Therefore, they could have prepared the area appropriately," he said.
‘Firebreaks were not cleared’
Georgiou claimed that firebreaks within the firing range had not been maintained despite repeated warnings from the community.
According to him, the local authority had sent a letter to the Ministry of Defence requesting that the firebreaks be cleared, but received no response.
"The firebreaks have not been cleared for years," he said.
His comments directly contradicted statements reportedly made earlier on the programme by Assistant Fire Chief Longinos, who had said the area had been inspected and vegetation had been cleared.
The community leader acknowledged that the Fire Service responded immediately after the blaze broke out.
However, he argued that the fire could have been contained much earlier, before it approached residential areas.
According to Georgiou, the blaze began in an open section of the firing range covered mainly by wild vegetation and located several kilometres from nearby communities.
He questioned why additional ground and aerial firefighting resources were not deployed from the outset.
Villagers alerted by church bells
Georgiou said the community only came under serious threat later in the afternoon.
After 5pm, residents received warning messages and church bells began ringing to alert people.
"People's lives were at risk," he said, warning that the situation could have become significantly more dangerous.
Claim that blaze was allowed to burn
The most serious allegation came when Georgiou suggested that the fire was intentionally allowed to burn within the firing range in order to clear vegetation and facilitate future military exercises.
"I believe the fire is deliberately allowed to burn within the firing range so that they can carry out their exercises afterwards," he said.
He added that similar incidents occur almost every year.
According to Georgiou, the practice appears to be to allow a fire to burn until it reaches firebreaks, in the expectation that it will be stopped there.
"And if it gets beyond them, then it gets beyond them," he said.
Blames government and Defence Ministry
The community leader also assigned political responsibility to both President Nikos Christodoulides and Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas.
He argued that the National Guard operates under the supervision of the Defence Ministry and that permitting ammunition destruction during a period of Red Alert conditions should never have been allowed.
When it was suggested that the president and defence minister may not have been aware of the specific operation, Georgiou responded that they nevertheless had a responsibility to ensure that activities capable of igniting fires were not taking place on days of extreme wildfire risk.
"When Red Alert warnings are issued, they should know and the appropriate decisions should be taken," he said.
