Bases fire chiefs are urging residents to remain vigilant after attending 11 fires in the past seven days.
Crews in Episkopi worked alongside Republic of Cyprus (RoC) firefighters to extinguish blazes in the Fasouri plantation area, whilst in Dhekelia rubbish fires were the main threat.
High temperatures and windy days are proving to be the greatest challenge according to Bases fire chief, Jim Gray.
He said: “It’s true, the high winds bring us the greatest concerns with the potential for rapid fire spread.
“High temperatures have ensured vegetation is scorched and incredibly dry, which leads to easy combustion. It also poses the danger of firefighter fatigue and dehydration whilst tackling fires.”
Despite the recent upsurge in fires, statistics show that the increase remains below the seasonal average, but this is expected to change in the coming days and weeks.
“This is due to increased temperatures later than expected and high moisture in the environment – these weather changes and higher temperatures will lead to an increase in fires.”
Pinpointing the cause of fires is also proving difficult: “The sources of ignition are very difficult to determine,” he explained.
“The fires at Dhekelia are generally caused by combustible materials being subjected to intense heat for a sustained period of time, leading to ignition.”
He was also keen to emphasise the teamwork displayed between both the Bases and RoC fire services: “We have attended several fires alongside our RoC colleagues, specifically around the Episkopi, Fasouri and Kolossi areas.
“The RoC provided support to a fire close to Ayios Nikolaos too, which also demonstrated the continued strong working relationships between our services.”
And in a final message, he continued: “We want residents to be respectful to the risk of fires, ensuring they act responsibly, especially when cooking outdoors or camping.
“We would also ask residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviours to the relevant authorities.”