Newsroom
by Elisavet Georgiou
Authorities have been on high alert since Saturday, July 26, investigating both the causes of devastating fires in the Limassol mountains and reports of organized arson. Police have been combing mountainous and forested areas with motorized patrols across all districts.
The alert was triggered by information received by the Forestry Department, which immediately passed it on to police.
Savvas Iezekiel, director of the Forestry Department, said he received critical information about possible arson activity on the island. “I forwarded the information to police and also took my own measures immediately, as required,” he told 24news.
A series of fires in recent days, culminating in the deadly Limassol blaze, has left authorities with little room for error.
The anonymous tip about a possible organized plan came shortly before three fires broke out in Fasoula, Paphos. The blazes were located about 200 meters apart.
Investigators are examining whether the fires were set as a diversion. The affected site contained only dry grass, raising the possibility that the small blazes were intended to draw firefighting resources away from other areas, increasing the risk of a delayed response elsewhere.
Motives and questions
Officials have not confirmed reports of an organized arson plan and have yet to provide clear answers. The tense situation has heightened authorities’ vigilance, but it remains unclear whether the information is accurate.
If such a plan exists, investigators still do not know who is behind it, or why.
