The year 2022 was the best year historically in terms of fires within the area of responsibility of the Cyprus Department of Forests, figures obtained by the Cyprus News Agency show. The percentage of state forest area burned was the smallest since 1960, at just 0.4 hectares, and the smallest in twenty years, at just 30 hectares. The percentage of wildfires in total fires was the lowest in a decade, 30%, and the area of the largest fire of 2022 was just 3.6 hectares, the smallest in twenty years. Regarding the causes of forest fires, data show that intentional fires in 2022 reached 54% of all human-caused forest fires. From the beginning of the year until June, there were 62 fires in the Forestry Department's area of responsibility, with a total burnt area of 65 hectares. Of the 62 fires, 27 are forest fires that burned 59 hectares. Comparing the data with the corresponding ones for the decade 2013-2022, the number of fires in the area of responsibility of the Forestry Department is less than average (70 fires), while the burned area is much less than average (394 hectares). The Director of the Department of Forests Charalambos Alexandrou told the Cyprus News Agency that the battle this year seems to be more difficult than last year, due to the fact that we had a relatively not so good winter. The "high risk period" started on May 1 and ends at the end of October depending on the prevailing weather conditions and the Department is on full alert and increased readiness to prevent, but also to deal with any forest fire incident. Cypriot forests host and effectively protect 80% of Cypriot biodiversity. They host 1,400 of the 1,649 native species and subspecies of flora and about 110 of the 141 endemic species and subspecies. More than 80% of the European Natura 2000 network in Cyprus is covered by forest areas and 58% of the network are state forests. The importance of Cypriot forests is not limited to the local but also extends to the international level. According to the "National Risk Assessment of the Republic of Cyprus for 2018", forest fires present the highest level of risk, compared to other risks, such as earthquakes, coastal erosion, floods, etc. The problem is expected to worsen continuously due to the abandonment of the countryside and climate crisis. The Department of Forests is responsible for fire protection (prevention and extinguishing) in state forests and in the 2km zone from the line of state forests, which is about 57% of the area where forest fires break out. The Fire Service is responsible for the rest of the area and residential areas. The two Services work closely together and assist each other. The Department of Forestry allocates more than 30% of its annual resources to fire protection. According to the statistics in 2022, in the area of responsibility of the Forestry Department, 192 fires broke out, with a total burnt area of 146 hectares. Although the number of fires was 26% higher than the 2012-2021 average (152 fires), the burned area was 75% lower than average (611 hectares). Director of the Department of Forests told the Agency that the cooperation with the Fire Service is at an excellent level, indicating that during 2022, the Department assisted the Fire Service in extinguishing 32 rural fires, as well as 35 fires in agricultural lands. Despite the excellent results achieved last year, the statistics concerning the last decade confirm that fires are the worst threat to Cypriot forests. Alexandrou said that in the last 10 years we had an average of 247 fires per year, which reduced 2,108 hectares of forest and agricultural land to ashes annually. Of these, 104 were forest fires that burned 1,826 hectares of forest land annually. "This means that we have a loss of 0.5% of forest land every year. The economic damage is even more eminent, since the loss of forest lands alone is estimated to exceed pound 50,000,000 a year," Alexandrou said. He noted that 48%, in other words one in two fires, which he described as an inconceivable percentage, are intentional fires, i.e fires that are set on purpose, without saying that they are malicious. Alexandrou said that the Department implements a joint management system that includes the prevention, detection and reporting of forest fires, pre-suppression and suppression of forest fires. He added that is widely accepted that once a forest fire spreads it is difficult to put it under control. On the contrary, he said, a fire in the initial stages can be easily extinguished, even with the minimum equipment. He said that it is important to have an early detection of the first fire outbreaks, the immediate reporting of their existence and their quick intervention and extinguishing, before they further spread. The main means of detecting and reporting forest fires available to the Department of Forests are the forest fire observatories (Fireposts, Observation Posts), patrols, the use of technology to monitor forest areas and the forest fire hotline, namely 1407. Preventive measures mainly include infrastructure that aims to reduce the possibility of the spread of any fire and to facilitate the firefighting forces in extinguishing operations. The main preventive measures firebreaks, forest roads, forest telecommunications, forestry operations, water supplies and helipads. Alexandrou explained that the suppression of forest fires is a difficult and dangerous task that requires a well-organised system, with sufficient means and personnel, and that the goal of suppression measures is the fastest possible intervention and suppression of every fire in its initial stages, therefore limiting the damage caused. During the high risk period from May 1 to October 31, the Department operates as a Forest Fire Brigade. Suppression of fires is achieved by the operation of the forest officials' alert system, the operation of the Forest Fire Department as well as the use of available aircraft. More specifically, in relation to the operation of the forest officials' alert system and the operation of the Forest Fire Brigade, a series of operational and other plans are being implemented. These include the "Organisation and Operation of the General and Mobile Operations Centre" Plan, which includes the actions and procedures for the organisation and operation of the firefighting coordination centres, the "Lightning" Plan, which is implemented with the announcement of smoke or fire for the immediate mobilisation of forest firefighting forces and the Forest Fire Extinguishing Management System which concerns the organisation and management of operations to extinguish a fire incident. Furthermore, the Department implements the "?vacuation Guidelines". There are also various plans for specific cases, i.e. the "Red Alert" Plan, which concerns the actions taken when the risk of fires starting and spreading is at a red alert level, the "Aircraft Control Officers" Plan, which concerns actions followed for the flight safety during firefighting operations with aerial vehicles, the "Ikaros" Plan for aerial operations, i.e. the protocol for aerial operations during firefighting operations and the National Plan "Hephaestus" for dealing with crises. This includes actions followed in the operations to extinguish a large forest fire which has been described as a crisis and which, in order to be dealt with, requires the active and broad involvement of forces from the Ministries of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice and Health. Alexandrou said that in recent years "significant progress has been made, but at the same time, a lot remains to be done." He noted that Flora management should be the number one measure, explaining that while vegetation is the only one of the three permanent factors that determine the risk of explosion and spread of fires on which man can intervene, not enough has been done. He also referred to the need to strengthen aerial firefighting, although he noted that use of aircrafts is not a panacea. Alexandrou explained that aircrafts cannot put out a large fire on their own and they may not be able to attempt to do so. He said that the ideal scenario is to have an early detection and the maximum time of the operation to be ten minutes. The Director of the Department of Forests also spoke about the use of technology adding also that mobilising all forces at an early stage is crucial in order to put out a large fire. He also said that crises need the involvement of all competent agencies and the entire state adding that the Crisis Management Plans will ensure effectiveness. Alexandrou spoke of the need to have international cooperation, to improve efficiency and more specifically to have a maximum aid deployment time which ideally should be as short as possible. Plans are underway to upgrade the Department for 2024-2025 and Alexandrou said that they are called upon in this period of time, to manage the situation with all the limitations in both personnel and means.
Source: Cyprus News Agency