The damage from fires in Cyprus last year amounted to 9.5 million euros

In 2023, wildfires in the Republic of Cyprus caused a total of 9.5 million euros in damage. The greatest damage was inflicted on urban areas.

According to the fire service, in total, in 2023, rescuers responded to 11,919 calls for assistance, including calls to emergency services for fires and other unforeseen circumstances, false alarms, and pranks.

Of these calls, 6,649 were related to fires, roughly evenly split between urban and rural fires. Overall, this is three percent more than in 2022.

About 64% of rural fires were caused by arson. Moreover, in 90% of cases, fires were the result of human activity.

Urban fires were mainly caused by malfunctions in vehicle electrical equipment, the malfunctioning of electrical appliances, cigarette butts, and arson, with 90 percent of urban fires also caused by human activity.

However, the fire service noted that despite the increase in the number of urban fires, the overall cost of damage they caused was lower than the previous year.

It is also noted that in 2023, 25 people were rescued from burning buildings. This is one more person than the previous year. Last year, five people also died in fires, the same number as in 2022.

The area of rural land burned by fires last year amounted to 21.26 km², which is 7.18 km² more than in 2022.