The council of ministers this week approved a proposal by the interior minister to grant funding of €2.1 million to community clusters across Cyprus for urgent works to clear abandoned agricultural land and areas around communities as part of efforts to strengthen fire protection measures.

The decision was taken during the meeting of the Cabinet following the proposal put forward by the interior minister after the large wildfires that broke out in the semi-mountainous areas of Limassol in July.

According to an official announcement, the allocation of €2.07 million will cover cleaning and other necessary works within a radius of up to 200 metres around residential areas in the communities, with the aim of preventing and limiting the spread of fires.

The works include clearing or cultivating abandoned plots, cutting undergrowth and trimming trees, depending on the needs of each area.

The process began with instructions issued by the interior ministry to district officers.

In cooperation with community councils, they submitted lists detailing the required interventions and the estimated costs per community.

The relevant catalogues and allocation tables by district are attached to the ministry’s proposal.

It was also mentioned that communities falling under the National Strategy for the Development of Mountain Communities and located adjacent to forest areas are excluded from this funding.

These areas had already received an allocation of €1 million for similar actions, based on a council of ministers decision in April 2025.

The proposal also includes authorisation for the interior minister to release the funds and publish the decision in line with the prescribed procedures.

The initiative forms part of a broader framework of preventive measures, as the island continues to be endangered by a high risk of fires due to prevailing extreme weather conditions.