Cyprus will be strengthened this summer with two additional light firefighting aircraft provided through the EU civil protection mechanism. This deployment is part of a larger effort involving 777 firefighters from 14 European countries, stationed across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. The European Commission described this as the largest deployment of firefighting personnel since the programme began in 2022.

Alongside the aircraft assigned to Cyprus, 22 firefighting airplanes and five helicopters from the EU fleet will be on standby to assist member states if national capacities are exceeded. These assets are part of the «rescEU» framework, which facilitates coordinated support during extreme fire seasons.

Furthermore, the Commission confirmed plans for a regional EU firefighting base in Cyprus, expected to become operational later this year. This facility will host up to six firefighting aircraft and serve as a training and coordination hub for civil protection teams from EU nations and Southern Mediterranean partners, enhancing preparedness in the region.