Fires in Cyprus May Be the Result of Arson

In recent days, the number of fires in open areas in Cyprus has risen sharply, and according to the fire service, some of the blazes may be linked to deliberate actions.

Chief Fire Officer and fire response coordinator Nikos Longinos told the Cyprus News Agency that more than 1,450 fires in open areas have been recorded in the country since the beginning of the year. More than 90% of them, he said, are linked to human factors.

«Unfortunately, all fires are caused by human factors. However, in recent days it seems that some blazes have been started as a result of malicious actions. We are detecting four or five fire outbreaks within 500 metres of one another», Longinos said.

He noted that residents are actively reporting suspicious incidents, which are then investigated by the police.

One of the latest serious incidents was a fire that broke out early in the morning in the Prasteio Kellakiou area. The fire started at around 03:50, after which a response mechanism involving the fire service, the Department of Forests, civil defence, the police and an aerial firefighting unit was immediately activated.

The fire was brought under control before it could spread over a large area.

Against the backdrop of high air temperatures, the services continue intensified patrols and are using drones to detect new fire outbreaks in a timely manner.