Forest area burnt last year the smallest since 1960

Last year was historically the best year in terms of fires occurring within the forestry department’s jurisdiction, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Wednesday.

According to the data, in 2022, 192 fires broke out within the forestry department’s jurisdiction, with a total burnt area of 146 hectares.

Although the number of fires was 26 per cent higher than the 2012-2021 average (152 fires), the burned area was 75 per cent lower than average (611 hectares).

Only 0.4 hectares of state forest land was affected by fires in 2022, the lowest figure recorded since 1960, while the total area of forest land burned was 30 hectares, the lowest in twenty years.

In addition, the total forest fires made up 30 per cent of all fires recorded in 2022, which was the lowest in a decade.

The largest forest fire recorded in 2022 affected 3.6 hectares, which was the smallest area in 20 years.

As regards the causes of forest fires in 2022, it was found that more than half, 54 per cent, had human causes.

Forestry department director Charalambos Alexandrou told CNA that the department’s cooperation with the fire service is at an excellent level, having provided assistance in extinguishing 32 rural fires, as well as 35 fires in agricultural land.

From the beginning of 2023 until June, 62 fires were detected on land within the jurisdiction of the forestry department, burning a total of 65 hectares. Of the 62 fires, 27 were forest fires which burned 59 hectares.

Compared to the data gathered between 2013 and 2022, the number of fires within the jurisdiction of the forestry department is lower than the average of 70 fires, while the area of burnt land is much smaller than the average of 394 hectares.

“But the battle seems to be harder than last year,” he said, as the winter was a lot drier.

He added that as we are currently in the “high risk period,” which starts on May 1 and ends at the end of October, the forestry department is on full alert and increased readiness to prevent, but also to deal with any forest fire incidents.