Two men were arrested on Thursday after starting a fire in a forest area near the Trooditissa picnic site close to Platres.

The pair, aged 22 and 21, were found by police in possession of nargile pipes, charcoal and lighters.

They had lit the fire but extinguished it when the police noticed what they were doing.

Asked why they had lit a fire, they said they had gone to Trooditissa with the intention of smoking nargile but the gas lighter they had brought with them had broken.

As a result, they said, they lit the fire to light the nargile pipe’s coals.

On Friday, the forestry department thanked the members of the public who alerted the authorities to the two men’s actions, saying that “people’s timely reaction meant the worst was avoided” for the nearby monastery.

They added that the actions of those who alerted the authorities are “an example to follow”.

“These fellow citizens of ours immediately informed forestry officers in the area, who arrived at the scene and helped to arrest these persons,” they said.

They added, “to all those who did not turn a blind eye and helped as much as possible to avoid the worst, the forestry department expresses its warm thanks and congratulations.

“This is an example to follow because, if everyone at the right time does not turn a blind eye, our forests and people’s private property will not be in danger, and we will not mourn human lives.”

The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.