Apostolos Tomaras
The National Guard has come under intense criticism in recent days following the fire that broke out last Thursday at the Kalo Chorio firing range, putting nearby villages at risk. A report of events requested by Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas is expected to clarify what happened in a case that has dominated public discussion. While questions remain about who may be responsible, the criticism directed at the military has created an unusual situation for an organization that operates under strict procedures and places strong emphasis on following safety rules.
Answers to the questions surrounding the incident, particularly whether the required safety protocols were followed, are expected to come from both the report of events and the criminal investigation being conducted by police. According to information available to Kathimerini Cyprus, the report is expected to be completed and delivered to Mr. Palmas by the middle of next week.
Regardless of the outcome of the police investigation, if the report identifies mistakes or omissions by those responsible for planning and carrying out training activities such as those held last Monday, accountability will be assigned in full.
At the same time, the reaction from residents who were forced to leave their homes as a precaution because of the fire has strained relations between the National Guard and nearby communities. Officials view this as a serious issue. With the possibility of tensions escalating further, the Defence Minister met local representatives from communities near the Kalo Chorio firing range at the Ministry of Defence on Friday, July 31, 2026, to discuss the range and the problems associated with it. The meeting was intended to ease the public dispute and identify measures that could prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The events
Although the investigations have not yet been completed, the National Guard has faced public criticism for conducting activities under difficult weather conditions. Many have questioned whether the military is exempt from warnings issued by civil authorities advising that activities capable of causing fires should be restricted.
What remains unanswered, however, is whether National Guard personnel at the Kalo Chorio firing range violated military safety protocols governing activities that carry a high risk of causing fires.
According to information obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus, the National Guard was carrying out a scheduled training exercise involving the destruction of a small number of munitions together with a partner country. The country involved is understood to be the United States. The activity had been approved by the General Staff of the National Guard, although it remains unclear whether it was part of the new framework of cooperation between the National Guard and the U.S. military.
The National Guard's protocols
Training activities, including the destruction of munitions, are governed by protocols dating back to 2003 that clearly define the conditions under which the National Guard may conduct such operations.
According to a document obtained by K, paragraphs 10 and 11 establish safety requirements, including the timely submission of operational plans by those in charge and advance notification of the relevant authorities. The document states that if any of the required procedures are not completed within the specified timeframes, the activities do not go ahead.
Paragraph 11 also prohibits any training activity when the ambient temperature exceeds 38°C unless prior approval has been granted by the General Staff of the National Guard.
According to official forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology for extreme maximum temperatures, a yellow warning had been issued only for Tuesday, July 28, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., with temperatures expected to reach around 40°C.
The questions
Since clear instructions already define the conditions under which National Guard training activities may take place, the central question is what went wrong and allowed a fire to break out that threatened populated areas.
No official answer has been given so far. There has only been speculation that the initial response may not have been fast enough. Officials say the ongoing investigations will determine whether that was the case.
The General Staff's protocols also require detailed records to be kept for each firing range so that, in the words of the document, "monitoring of the specific firing range is straightforward for everyone involved." Those records must be updated every six months.
Unofficial sources reject claims that National Guard firefighting equipment, including a fire engine and an excavator, was absent during the exercise. They also deny reports that nearby residents had not been informed in advance.
According to those sources, the unit conducting the exercise complied with the requirements set out in paragraph 10 of the safety protocol and the villages located near the firing range had been notified beforehand.
The units
The protocols also contain specific provisions for the units that use the firing ranges.
According to the document obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus, units conducting live-fire exercises, particularly at the main firing ranges including Kalo Chorio, must know the exact firing positions of the weapons they will use. Commanders must also be fully aware of the restrictions and operational issues at each firing range so they can carry out the activities with particular care.
