British Bases Warn Public Ahead of Summer Fire Season

Since the beginning of May, Defence Fire and Rescue (DFR) teams have attended to two blazes a day, with numbers projected to rise as peak temperatures approach.

Aristos Aristeidou, fire safety manager for the DFR, explained the volatility of the situation.

“It is currently extremely dry due to a combination of high temperatures and significantly below-average rainfall,” Aristeidou said. “This prolonged drought has led to critically low water reserves and dam levels, and these conditions have heightened the risk of wildfires.”

Despite the precarious conditions, Aristeidou said that plenty of preparations have taken place including Exercise Pyrsos, a multi-agency Republic-led exercise held in May.

“Exercise Pyrsos proved to be a crucial component in preparing our defence fire and rescue teams for the challenges of the upcoming season,” Aristeidou said.

“As a large-scale, multi-agency exercise involving all Republic of Cyprus firefighting ground and aerial assets, it showcased the high level of interoperability and operational readiness across all emergency services.”

The fire chief also emphasised the importance of public cooperation ahead of the season in lessening reliance on emergency services.

Aristeidou advised the public to “take extra precautions” to prevent fires, including avoiding open flames and flammable materials, and creating defensible spaces around the home by trimming trees and bushes.

The fire risk is expected to remain high until temperatures start to fall towards the end of September.

“If you see a fire, call 112, don’t expect others to do it,” Aristeidou concluded. “We would rather receive 100 calls instead of none at all.”

Source: Cyprus Mail