It’s the start of May. And yet, Cyprus is already worried…
Not just because it looks like summer 2026 will be another absolute scorcher (despite the recent snow!). Not because we’re expecting power and water cuts on top of our usual 40-degree plus temps. Not because we’ve already had enough dust in the atmosphere to last us a lifetime, thank you very much.
No. What we’re already worried about – or, at least, what’s making the authorities are getting Super Twitchy – is wildfires…
Every summer, we get the same message, the same warnings. The sign at the start of the highway switches to ‘Extreme Fire Risk’ and sticks there for months.
And we’re right to pay attention. Over the last few years, fires have cause millions of euros of damage in Cyprus; they’re razed more than 1 per cent of the island; and several people have lost their lives.
You’ll remember the Souni wildfire of 2025: more than 100 square kilometres burnt to a cinder; multiple villages evacuated; hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed. Reports suggested the financial cost of that one fire alone came in at about €60 million, with a further €20 million in additional environmental damage.
But that was just one of the 7,154 incidents reported by the Fire Service last year. And one of countless in the last decade.
And here’s what’s really scary. 94 per cent of Cyprus’ fires are down to what’s called ‘the human factor’. In other words, a flicked cigarette (always a danger on an island where roughly a quarter of the population smoke – far higher than the EU average of 18 per cent), or burning rubbish, or electrical sparks from faulty equipment. Or, worst of all, deliberate arson. (Why? Just why?!)
And so, every summer (and as early as early May) the authorities start warning us of the coming dangers. If we’re not careful, they seem to say, Cyprus WILL burn this summer. And it’s up to you, the public, to do your utmost to ensure it doesn’t.
In theory, that’s simple, right? Don’t light fires. Don’t toss cigarettes. Don’t burn rubbish. Don’t, whatever you do, host a midnight bonfire for heavy smokers in the middle of Athalassa.
But there’s other stuff, too: don’t park on dry grass after a long drive. Don’t leave bottles or glass where the sun can catch them. Think twice before using machinery in the heat of the day. And if you do clear your garden, don’t leave cuttings where they can ignite.
In a summer like ours (and, according to a 2024 report from the IMF, “Cyprus’ summers have become increasingly intense, characterised by prolonged periods of extreme heat and more frequent heatwaves”), almost anything can start a fire…
A strimmer blade striking stone. The heat under the car when you pull onto the verge. A barbecue that looks out – but isn’t. Even a discarded battery – damaged, overheated, or left in the wrong place – is capable of igniting dry material without any flame at all.
Given which, it’s probably worth paying serious attention to the weather this weekend, because, as things start to heat up across Cyprus, so does our island’s fire risk…
After a week that briefly forgot what season it was – storms, hail, even snow on Troodos – Cyprus is having a full on reset this weekend.
In Nicosia, temperatures climb quickly – from 28°C on Friday to 31°C by Monday, with a real feel pushing into the mid-30s. It’s the first proper reminder that the capital doesn’t ease into heat; it arrives.
Along the coast, things stay a little gentler, but no less settled. Limassol holds steady between 26–27°C, while Larnaca and Ayia Napa edge slightly higher, reaching 29–30°C over the weekend. Even Paphos, often the outlier, sits comfortably at 24–26°C, with clear skies throughout.
Up in Troodos, the turnaround is even more striking. After recent snowfall, temperatures rise from 15°C on Friday to 23°C by Monday, with clear skies throughout. Winter disappears as quickly as it arrived.
By the start of next week, Cyprus looks exactly as you’d expect in May. Dry. Bright. Warming fast.
Which means that just one spark, and the hills come alive with the sound of crackling.
Suddenly, the government warnings all make sense.
Weekend weather tips -
It’s hotter than it looks: Real feel hits mid-30s inland — pace yourself and stay hydrated.
Sun is extreme: UV index 11 — use protection, even in May.
Watch where you park: Hot engines can ignite dry grass.
Avoid sparks: Tools, BBQs, burning — all risky now.
Everything dries fast: No rain, rising heat — assume high fire risk.
Sun is extreme: UV index 11 — use protection, even in May.
Watch where you park: Hot engines can ignite dry grass.
Avoid sparks: Tools, BBQs, burning — all risky now.
Everything dries fast: No rain, rising heat — assume high fire risk.
