Series of suspected arson incidents across Cyprus

Between July 31 and August 1, 2026, Cyprus experienced a wave of wildfires across the Larnaca, Paphos, and Nicosia districts. A significant fire burned 25 hectares of vegetation between Lympia and Kosii on July 31, while another incident in Arsos destroyed five hectares of land. On August 1, authorities reported a series of five deliberate fires along the road from Prodromi to Arodes in Paphos, which were contained within an hour with four decares of land damaged. Additional fires were also addressed near Menoiko and Ergates in the Nicosia district.

Authorities, including the Department of Forests, are treating multiple incidents as potential arson, citing the presence of multiple ignition points. In Paphos, 25 forest department personnel, along with firefighters and private aid, successfully contained the rapid succession of blazes. Investigations are ongoing across the affected regions to identify the perpetrators. While no injuries were reported, emergency services remain in a state of high alert, conducting constant patrols to mitigate the risk of further criminal activity during this period of high temperatures.