Repeated fires in Paphos are raising concerns that arsonists may be responsible, forestry department director Savvas Ezekiel said on Sunday.

The two fires that broke out in Lysos yesterday were reported around 500 metres apart, with the first breaking out at about 4pm in the Potamoudes area.

It burned approximately seven hectares before being brought under control at around 6pm.

A second fire broke out shortly afterwards in the Mersinia area.

Forestry department spokesman Glafkos Kyriakou said on Saturday that “the two incidents point to a malicious act”.

Ezekiel informed the Cyprus News Agency that the two outbreaks formed part of a wider pattern of fires reported in recent years between Droushia and Prodromos, as well as in Skoulli and now Lysos.

“We cannot have five fires starting from Drouseia to Prodromos as consecutive incidents,” he remarked.

“The phenomenon in this ‘triangle’ that I mentioned to you occurs every year. Why does it happen every year? Something is up and we must identify it.”

He said the repeated incidents required closer investigation, further commenting that he was prepared to submit proposals concerning the area at forthcoming meetings.

Asked in regard to the investigation into the Lysos fires, Ezekiel said only that “the case is being investigated” and declined to provide further details.

Ezekiel also warned that the risk of major fires remained high despite recent rainfall in parts of the mountains.

The forestry department remains on alert as the investigation into the Lysos fires continues.