Cyprus' Forestry Department is set to receive a new General Operations Centre at Athalassa as part of a broader effort to modernise the country's emergency response capabilities, particularly in relation to forest fires.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment's 2027 budget, the project, valued at €950,000, will be tendered in 2027 and completed during 2028.
Upgrading a critical command hub
Although the Forestry Department's existing operations centre has coordinated wildfire management for years, officials say it no longer meets modern digital and operational requirements.
The new facility will be developed at the premises of the Fire Protection and Forest Engineering Sector in Athalassa and is intended to bring the department's capabilities closer to those of the Fire Service, which received a modern operations centre last year.
The project will be implemented in two phases:
- Building upgrades.
- Installation of advanced technological equipment.
Funding is expected to be allocated as follows:
- €350,000 in 2027
- €600,000 in 2028
Real-time monitoring and decision-making tools
According to officials from the department's Fire Protection Technologies Branch, the centre will be equipped with infrastructure enabling the integration of:
- Fire detection and surveillance systems.
- Communications networks.
- Live image and field-data transmission systems.
- Incident-management platforms.
- Operational information systems.
- Digital risk-assessment tools.
- Wildfire spread simulation software.
Officials said the systems will support real-time data collection and analysis, helping create a constantly updated operational picture and enabling faster, evidence-based decision-making during emergencies.
Current operations
Forestry Department spokesperson Glafkos Kyriakou said the current Operations Centre is staffed daily by three forestry officers throughout the fire season.
Their roles include:
- Receiving and assessing reports made through the forest-fire emergency line 1407.
- Monitoring data from surveillance systems, thermal cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
- Coordinating operations under the supervision of a senior officer responsible for overall management.
In the event of a major wildfire, operational control shifts to a mobile Local Operations Centre, which is deployed directly to the affected area. The General Operations Centre then continues monitoring and coordinating responses to any additional incidents elsewhere on the island.
The Forestry Department also maintains three regional operations support centres.
Broader civil protection strategy
Officials say the new centre forms part of Cyprus' wider strategy to strengthen preparedness and improve coordination between emergency services.
The upgraded facility is expected to:
- Enhance operational readiness.
- Improve coordination of personnel and resources.
- Strengthen cooperation with other emergency agencies and civil protection authorities.
- Support continuity of operations during prolonged emergencies.
Firefighting remains with Forestry Department
The announcement comes shortly after discussions in the House Interior Committee confirmed that responsibility for forest-fire suppression will remain with the Forestry Department, rather than being transferred to the Interior Ministry under plans to establish a new Directorate-General for Civil Protection.
During those discussions, Forestry Department Director Savvas Iezekiil supported the creation of a national coordinator for emergency coordination purposes but argued that operational command during incidents should remain with the agency managing the event.
That position was also supported by Fire Service Chief Nikos Longinos and Ambulance Service head Riana Constantinou.
