Cyprus prepares for the opening of the summer hunting season amid wildfire concerns

The summer hunting season in Cyprus is set to begin this Sunday, August 23, 2026, with an estimated 17,000 to 18,000 hunters expected to participate. While rainfall since January has improved habitat conditions, large parts of the Limassol mountain region are still recovering from the devastating fires of summer 2025. Petro Anagiotis, spokesperson for the Game and Fauna Service, noted that while license renewals have reached 15,000, the overall number of hunters has been experiencing a gradual long-term decline.

Authorities, including the Department of Forests and the Cyprus Federation for Hunting and Wildlife Conservation, have issued strict safety warnings due to the high risk of wildfires. The Department of Forests will deploy additional personnel, fire trucks, and intensified patrols across the countryside to ensure rapid intervention. Hunters are explicitly prohibited from lighting fires in non-designated areas, with officials advising the use of over 40 organized picnic sites for food preparation. Furthermore, the Department of Forests is reportedly evaluating a proposal to potentially reschedule parts of the season based on environmental conditions and safety objectives. Hunters are urged to collect all empty cartridges and exercise extreme caution with smoking materials to prevent accidental ignitions.