The Cyprus Forestry Department urged caution in creating new firebreaks

On August 26, the Director of the Forestry Department, Savvas Ezekiel, stated the need for a cautious approach to widespread calls for creating new firebreaks to protect Cyprus’s rural areas from forest fires. According to him, firebreaks are only one of the possible measures, but not the sole means of fighting fires.

As the head of the department noted, it is not possible to establish firebreaks in all areas, and their construction often requires the removal of existing vegetation, which can cause long-term damage to land resources. Instead, so-called “green firebreaks” are proposed — strips of fire-resistant plants or vineyards capable of slowing down the spread of fire. In addition, the method of controlled burning is applied, which has long been used in global practice.

The creation of traditional firebreaks is possible only with the written consent of landowners and village councils, the department emphasizes, and without such consent the agency is not authorized to begin work. According to Savvas Ezekiel, it is precisely this administrative aspect that limits the ability of specialists to prevent fires in key zones.

In recent weeks, public concern in Cyprus has increased following a major fire in the Limassol district, which claimed the lives of two people. Widespread demands for the urgent creation of firebreaks are, according to the director, not always justified: excessive removal of vegetation makes the land vulnerable and hinders natural recovery.

For the residents of Cyprus, these statements mean that combating forest fires will be based on balancing safety measures with environmental protection, and that the procedure for approving and implementing firebreaks is more complex and lengthy than it may appear. At present, the main focus is on combining different preventive approaches and close cooperation with local communities.