Nicosia: Thursday could be "perhaps the most difficult day of the wildfire season" due to a combination of high temperatures, very low humidity, and strong winds, Cyprus Civil Protection National Coordinator and Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos told CNA, urging the public to exercise extreme caution as more than 1,350 countryside fires have already been recorded this year.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Longinos said today's conditions create an exceptionally dangerous environment, with high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds significantly increasing both the likelihood of wildfire outbreaks and the speed at which they can spread. "High temperatures cause drought, meaning that a single spark can ignite a wildfire," he said, adding that humidity levels are "below 20%," while winds further accelerate the spread of fires, particularly in areas where the terrain favors fire propagation.
He said all relevant services are on heightened alert to ensure any fire is tackled at its initial stage, adding that authorities are monitoring the entire government-controlled area of Cyprus. "Today, almost the entire government-controlled area is experiencing high temperatures and the conditions that increase the risk of wildfires are prevailing," he said.
Asked whether there are sufficient personnel and resources available, Longinos said the emergency response mechanism is fully mobilized, while stressing that no country can ever be certain of containing every major wildfire. "You can never be certain when a wildfire may overwhelm the system," he said, noting that even countries such as Canada, Spain, and France, despite having far greater resources, continue to face serious challenges in tackling large-scale fires.
"The message to our fellow citizens is to avoid any action that could create a spark, because the consequences could be catastrophic," he added. Longinos stressed that the elevated fire risk will continue beyond today until weather conditions change. "In the coming days, until conditions change and, above all, until we receive rainfall, we will remain on standby, ready to suppress any fires at their initial stages," he said.
Referring to the emergency response mechanism following last summer's deadly wildfire in Limassol, he said important improvements have been made, while acknowledging that further strengthening is still needed. Commenting on this year's wildfire statistics, Longinos described the number of countryside fires as particularly high. "We have recorded more than 1,350 countryside fires since the beginning of the year," he said, adding that comparative data with 2025 have not yet been finalized.
Concluding, he stressed that human activity remains the main cause of wildfires. "More than 94% are caused by human activities. It is we, the people, who cause these fires," he said, calling on the public to avoid any action that could ignite a blaze.