The forecast at the moment for the Paphos end of the island, is for a little rain both tomorrow and Saturday .. I am trying to tidy the garden and then have a big bonfire
I read about Easter Bonfires being Illegal but not just general bonfires away from the Easter period.
Farmers here are burning the last years vine cutting and the field edges...
Categories of fires ––Legal responsibility Fires are, in terms of responsi-bility, distinguished into three categories:
p Forest fires:Include all fires that occur within the State forests or at a radius of 1Km from their boundaries. The prevention and extinction of such fires is the responsibility of the Forestry Department.
p Rural fires:Include all fires that occur in rural areas at a distance more than 1Km from the forest boundaries. The prevention and control of these fires is the responsibility of the District Administrations according to the Law for the Prevention and Control of fires in Rural areas 1988-1999.
p Fires in inhabited areas:These are fires happened in inhabited areas or at a distance of 13Km from the nearest Fire Service Station. The prevention and control of these fires is the responsibility of the Police Fire Service
I always feel it best not to mention potentially illegal practices on social media.
However, if I was going to have a bonfire in somewhere like Polemi, I would wait for a day when all the locals are having bonfires, and have it then. The principle being they can hardly arrest you if everybody else is doing it.
In Polemi, the locals seem to have their bonfires in the spring and winter, for obvious reasons, on any day that isn't too windy. As Trev points out, this is mainly farmers burning green rubbish at the side of fields, though does extend to residential areas. So if I was going to do such an act I would wait for a day when there were already several plumes of smoke about, and do it then.
Web Designer / Developer. Currently working on Paphos Life.
Living in Polemi, Cyprus with my wife and daughter.
I would do it while it is raining or after heavy rain. Also it is more secure to use a large metal barrel and feed the fire slowly...AND to stop the fire completely with a lot of water and not led it smoulder like the locals do. Of course the water hose is nearby in case.......
As you all are no doubt aware the burning of corn stubble was stopped in the UK many years ago. The practice of burning garden rubbish has been greatly reduced by paying for a bin to put it in but if Cyprus does not offer that option then I emphasise with Trev. What do you do with it?
I live in town and had cause to telephone the Fire Station last week to ask whether or not it is legal to have a bonfire. They told me it was illegal and pretty soon after turned up at a neighbour’s house to get them to put a bonfire out. I was not the person who reported the neighbour to them!
I think most villages do, Chloraka has one too. Some of the worst rural fires start because some locals just leave the bonfire burning, I wonder if many people actually have to pay fines, should they get caught?
I think most villages do, Chloraka has one too. Some of the worst rural fires start because some locals just leave the bonfire burning, I wonder if many people actually have to pay fines, should they get caught?