The Forestry Department, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, has issued an appeal for public vigilance ahead of the August 15 holiday, as thousands of visitors are expected to head into Cyprus’s forests and countryside.
The Department said it stood ready to welcome the public and to help ensure people could enjoy nature safely, while urging everyone to respect the environment and take precautions against forest fires caused by human activity, which it described as a serious long-term threat to the natural landscape.
Visitors on excursions into rural and forested areas were asked to avoid any actions that could spark a fire, and to cooperate closely with Forestry Department staff and other services, particularly the police.
A specific appeal was made to owners and users of country houses. Those planning to barbecue were asked to light charcoal only in designated, safe areas, and to avoid burning wood, which raises the risk of fire. Once grilling has finished, users must ensure charcoal and any other fire source is fully extinguished.
Holiday home owners who hire third parties to clear their gardens were also urged to instruct workers not to burn grass, branches or other material. The Department stressed that lighting fires is strictly prohibited and can lead to blazes with unpredictable and devastating consequences.
The Department reiterated a number of standing restrictions:
- Between June 1 and September 30, it is prohibited, without written permission from the Director, to use any cutting or welding tools, machinery or equipment that generate heat, flame or sparks in the open, within a state forest or within a two-kilometre zone of its boundary.
- Discarding lit cigarette butts in forest or rural areas is prohibited.
- Lighting fires is permitted only in designated picnic areas set aside by the Forestry Department.
- Littering in forests is prohibited, with visitors asked to take all their rubbish with them.
- Anyone spotting smoke or fire should call 1407 (Forestry Department) or 112 (Fire Department) immediately.
“Let’s enjoy our forests safely and responsibly,” the Department said. “Protecting forests is the responsibility of all of us.”
