A new European firefighting hub based in Cyprus will be inaugurated in Paphos on April 23–24, on the sidelines of an informal EU summit held as part of Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Last week, the European Commission unveiled a new risk‑management strategy aimed at addressing the growing threat of wildfires across the continent.
The Cyprus hub, to be located at Paphos airport, will serve as a key operational and training center for the Eastern Mediterranean.
EU officials say the region has faced some of its worst wildfire seasons in recent years.
In 2023 and 2024, southern Europe recorded record‑breaking burn areas, prolonged heatwaves and multiple large‑scale fires in Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Spain — trends the Commission warns are likely to intensify.
The new facility is expected to support rapid deployment of aircraft and crews, joint exercises and coordinated response planning across member states.
