Newsroom / CNA
Investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded that two discarded cigarette butts sparked the deadly wildfire that swept through the Limassol mountains on July 23–24, 2025, the Cypriot government said Thursday.
The report found “with absolute clarity” that the blaze was ignited when a cigarette came into contact with dry vegetation. Investigators recovered two cigarette butts from the ignition site, one showing signs of burning, and turned them over to Cypriot authorities as evidence.
The fire spread with alarming speed. At 1:26 p.m., officials observed a small flame front about 3 feet high and 10 feet wide. By 1:43 p.m., the blaze had consumed 1.5 hectares (15,000 square meters). Within 29 minutes of the first report, it had reached 2 hectares (20,000 square meters) and entered the village of Malia.
Topography played a critical role, the report said, allowing the fire to advance in multiple directions regardless of prevailing winds. Strong winds and shifting local gusts helped push flames at a rate of 60 to 63 meters per minute, intensifying the fire’s strength and danger.
The investigators said conditions made ignition almost certain, citing a temperature of 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit), humidity of just 19%, prolonged drought and winds reaching force 9 on the Beaufort scale.
The exact ignition point was identified as a 30-by-30-centimeter patch of roadside between Malia and Arsos.
The findings were based on field investigations, witness statements, photos and video, as well as analysis of weather data, the report said.
