Fire service readiness for summer and garbage fire incident in Limassol

On May 12, 2026, President Christodoulides chaired a meeting regarding fire prevention and suppression strategies for the upcoming summer. Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos confirmed that 13 aircraft are operationally ready as of April 1, and 60 new staff members have been hired. New measures include the installation of surveillance cameras in Limassol, Paphos, and Larnaca, alongside a unified operations center and an early warning system to be implemented in early June. Separately, on the night of May 11, a refuse collection truck in Limassol caught fire due to discarded batteries short-circuiting within two tonnes of waste. The driver dumped the burning load at the roadside at 21:28, and the fire was controlled by the Agios Nikolaos Fire Station by 21:59 with no injuries reported. While fire officials emphasize prevention and inter-agency coordination, some public criticism remains regarding the efficiency of previous forest fire responses.