The participation of the Republic of Cyprus’ Ground Forest Fire Fighting Module in the European civil protection exercise PT EU MODEX 2026, which took place in the Viseu Dão Lafões region of Portugal between 5-8 May 2026 as part of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, was completed with ‘absolute success’, the Department of Forests said in a press release.
The Republic of Cyprus Ground Forest Fire Fighting Module (CY GFFF), the statement notes, is the first team from the Republic of Cyprus to enter the European Commission’s certification process and is eligible for deployment in providing international assistance in cases of major forest fires, following a request from another state through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The team consists of a total of 45 members – 16 from the Department of Forests, 13 from the Fire Service, 9 from Civil Defence and 7 from the Ambulance Service.
It is noted that the Ground Forest Fire Fighting Module is coordinated by the Department of Forests as the competent authority responsible for combating forest fires in the Republic. ‘The Department of Forests bears responsibility both for the certification process of the Module and for its subsequent operational readiness, activation and response, whenever and if requested through the Mechanism,’ the statement adds.
According to the press release, more than 700 members of international missions from Portugal, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, France and Cyprus participated in the exercise, ‘strengthening European cooperation in tackling major forest fires and emergency situations’.
During the exercise, the statement says, teams from various European countries worked together on complex large-scale scenarios aimed at enhancing interoperability, coordination and the exchange of expertise under real operational conditions.
‘Our participation was a great honour and an important experience, highlighting the professionalism, dedication and operational capability of the personnel of the Republic of Cyprus at European level,’ the Department of Forests said, thanking all members of the mission ‘for their dedication, discipline, professionalism and excellent representation of the Republic of Cyprus throughout the exercise’.