Cyprus’s fire departments are on red alert, in anticipation of the summer season, high temperatures, and the increased risk of wildfires in forested and rural areas.

The TV program “Alpha News” and reporter Olga Konstantinou visited the “Tripylos,” located in the heart of the Paphos Forest at an elevation of over 1,600 meters.

This is one of the most critical fire observation points on the border between the districts of Nicosiaand Paphos, as it is surrounded by the island’s densest forest, covering an area of 70,000 hectares.

Senior Forest Officer Kostas Ioannou of the Department of Forests explained that the fire lookout is staffed daily by two forest rangers, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In the event of smoke or a fire, the nearest fire station—located anywhere from the Akamas coast to the Kykkos area—is notified via radio.

The drive from Nicosia to the fire lookout station takes about two and a half hours and is a major attraction for locals and foreign visitors alike due to the unparalleled beauty of the natural landscape, the abundance of Cypriot cedars that thrive in the area, and the unique wildflowers.

Mr. Ioannou emphasized the need for citizens to protect nature and noted that if the forest were destroyed, the consequences would be disastrous for the natural environment of the entire country.