FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE — A deadly wildfire that swept through the Limassol mountains began from a discarded cigarette, according to a report released by U.S. investigators.
Experts pinpointed the ignition site to a 30-by-30-centimeter patch along the Mallia–Arsos road, where they found one partially burned and one fully burned cigarette butt.
Both were collected as evidence and handed to local authorities.
The report cited extreme fire conditions on the day of the blaze, estimating a 100% likelihood of ignition.
The fire spread at a rate of 60 to 63 meters per minute, rapidly intensifying and reaching the village of Mallia within 30 minutes.
Roughly 20,000 square meters were scorched.
Investigators described the fire as accidental but emphasized the severity of its spread and the environmental vulnerability of the region.