Ayia Anna blames defence ministry for wildfire

The head of Ayia Anna community has blamed the defence ministry for Monday’s wildfire, which spread from the Kalo Chorio firing range, telling the Cyprus Mail the ministry “has the responsibility” for what happened and renewing calls for the military training area to be relocated.

His comments came as the defence ministry confirmed it had launched an investigation into the incident, while opposition party Disy called for parliament to examine the circumstances surrounding the blaze, including whether safety protocols were followed and whether the CyAlert emergency warning system functioned properly.

Asked by the Cyprus Mail who should be held accountable for the fire, Ayia Anna community leader Anastasis Georgiou said responsibility lay with the defence ministry because it oversees the firing range.

“The firing range is under the defence ministry, so they have the responsibility,” he said.

“This is not an isolated incident. It happened under their instructions. This is the third year this has happened.”

Georgiou described the situation surrounding the firing range as “very serious”, claiming that military projectiles had repeatedly landed inside the community.

“Shells fall into the village; shells have even landed at the school,” he said.

He also alleged that fires are deliberately allowed to burn within the firing range so military exercises can continue once vegetation has been cleared.

“They let the fire burn through the firing range so they can continue their exercises. When a fire starts at noon and by 2pm you still haven’t managed to extinguish it, that means something is not right.”

The wildfire scorched around 120 hectares of land, threatened the villages of Ayia Anna and Psevdas and prompted one of the largest emergency responses seen in the district this year. The blaze broke out shortly before 12.40pm on Monday at the Kalo Chorio military firing range during an operation to destroy old ammunition. Within minutes, strong winds pushed the flames beyond the military area towards nearby communities.

The rapid spread of the fire prompted authorities to activate the national “Icarus II” emergency response plan. A joint operational command centre was established in Ayia Anna, while a crisis management coordination team was activated at the Zenon Coordination Centre to oversee the wider response.

More than 220 firefighters, forestry personnel, Civil Defence members, Game and Fauna Service officers, National Guard troops, police officers, district administration staff, ambulance crews, volunteers and local residents took part in the operation. They were supported by six firefighting aircraft and five helicopters making continuous water and retardant drops, while dozens of fire engines, water bowsers, tractors and bulldozers worked to create containment lines and protect nearby communities.

“It was like a war. So many people came to help us and we thank them all very much,” Georgiou said.

He renewed calls for the firing range to be relocated.

“I call on all MPs to support the relocation of the firing range. We cannot go on like this any longer,” he said.

Responding to questions from the Cyprus Mail, defence ministry spokesman Sofianos Phillipedes said the fire started during an activity carried out by the National Guard’s 70th Engineer Battalion.

He said Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas had ordered an investigation to establish exactly what happened and identify additional measures to prevent a similar incident.

The findings are expected within about 10 days.

Speaking on Monday, Palmas said the activity had taken place despite extreme weather conditions.

“Today, under such conditions, with temperatures of 40C, while the use of heavy weapons explosions is prohibited during the summer months, it will of course be investigated why and how they proceeded with the destruction of these munitions, with the tragic result of the wildfire that we all witnessed,” he said.

He pledged that the investigation would be thorough and said the strictest measures provided for under the regulations would be applied if responsibility was established.

Palmas also said he would not shy away from accepting political responsibility if the investigation concluded that it was warranted.

“If issues of political responsibility arise, I want you to know that I will assume them with all the responsibility and seriousness that I believe characterises me, if that is necessary and if it helps resolve this crisis,” he said.

The defence minister said he was speaking “calmly” despite being angered by the incident.

“Let the investigation run its course, and each of us will assume our responsibilities where necessary.”

Psevdas community leader Giorgos Philippou said the situation had stabilised, with no further flare-ups reported and firefighting vehicles remaining on standby.

“If the wind had not changed direction, we would be talking about a completely different situation. The fire would have spread to the surrounding villages, not just across 15 to 20 square kilometres,” he said.

Philippou noted that Ayia Anna and Psevdas are closely connected communities, with many residents owning property in both villages.

“Half of Psevdas was covered in smoke yesterday,” he said, adding that no homes had suffered damage.

Meanwhile, Kalo Chorio community leader Flourentzos Theodorou said his village had not been directly threatened because the fire started at the edge of the military firing range and spread away from the community towards Ayia Anna.

He said there had been no contact so far with either the National Guard or the defence ministry, but confirmed that the community would seek a meeting with Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas to discuss the incident.

The most critical moment came when the flames approached the first homes on the outskirts of Ayia Anna, forcing emergency services to focus their efforts on protecting lives and property.

Authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of Ayia Anna, followed shortly afterwards by neighbouring Psevdas. Church bells were rung to warn residents, while Civil Defence evacuated 21 elderly people and people with disabilities to a temporary shelter in Mosfiloti.

A CyAlert emergency message was issued at 5.20pm, although many residents later said they never received the notification on their mobile phones.

Disy said the wildfire had endangered lives, homes and the natural environment while causing significant disruption to surrounding communities.

The party said it would ask parliament to examine both the circumstances of the fire and the operation of the CyAlert emergency warning system, arguing that the incident raised legitimate questions about planning, coordination and the implementation of safety protocols.

Akel also called for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire, questioning why the National Guard carried out the destruction of old ammunition during a heatwave and calling on the government to explain who authorised the operation.

The party also raised concerns about the apparent failure of the CyAlert warning system, the delayed evacuation of communities and allegations that firebreaks had not been properly maintained.

Both parties expressed support for residents of the affected communities and thanked firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers for helping bring the blaze under control.