BETTER co-ordination between the services involved in putting out forest fires is the order of the season this summer.
Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis presided a meeting attended by representatives of those involved for the purpose of a more effective handling of the island’s perennial summer problem.
Indeed, forest fires exceed 1,000 every year with the business of putting them out being divided according to area.
Currently, the Forestry Department is responsible for dealing with forest fires, residential areas are under the remit of the Fire Service, while district authorities are responsible for rural areas.
The 40 existing action plans were reviewed at the meeting, while mock exercises are to be carried out in the near future.
“We have to act preventively and take all those measures which will enable us to deal with outbreaks in a timely, co-ordinated and organised fashion,” said Sylikiotis.
He made reference to last year’s devastating fire in Saittas which burnt 5.7 square kilometres of state forest, and exposed some of the gaps in the way things currently work.
“We aim to limit problems and the weaknesses which plague the services involved,” the Minister added.
In light of Cyprus’ water woes, Sylikiotis said that water from small dams which is used for agriculture would have to be used, as well as seawater.
This was linked with the Cabinet’s decision for renting a third helicopter for the forestry department, since helicopters were mainly supplied at airports.
This means that other areas will have to be found which could load the helicopters with seawater.
Sylikiotis went on to say that if the existing air support for putting out fires is insufficient, the Forestry Department can always opt to buy another aeroplane.
The Fire Service’s suggestion to buy and fix special water tanks in mountainous areas which can help supply helicopters and vehicles with water was approved at the meeting.
It was also decided that the district authorities would be responsible for convening meetings with high-risk communities for the purposes of coordination and as to how they would act in the case of a fire.
“The Saittas fire alerted people to the usefulness of fire-safe landscaping,” Sylikiotis said.
