SafeIsland puts wildfire alerts in the hands of Cyprus residents

SafeIsland CY, a new free mobile app for iOS and Android, is now available to the public, helping people in Cyprus report wildfire signs, receive nearby alerts and access key fire-safety information on one interactive map. Developed by Brickworks Games as part of the TechIsland Wildfire Initiative, the app was presented to the public for the first time on July 23, at The Warehouse by IT Quarter in Limassol. Vladimir Polianskii, chief marketing officer of Brickworks Games, presented SafeIsland CY as “a public-safety tool that helps people in Cyprus report wildfire signs, receive nearby alerts and access key fire-related information, all on one interactive map”. The community-powered tool was created particularly for residents in rural, mountain and high-risk areas, where early local information can make a real difference. Explaining the problem the app seeks to address, Polianskii noted that “during the first minutes of a wildfire, information is fragmented”, while “residents nearby notice smoke, blocked roads or changing wind long before it becomes widely visible”. At the same time, he pointed out that “many residents and visitors do not know where the nearest fire station, forest post or water point is”. SafeIsland CY seeks to close this gap by bringing together two layers of information: community reports from people on the ground and an interactive fire-safety map covering locations across Cyprus. As Polianskii explained, the app makes “local observations and key map data” easier to “share, verify and access in one place”. Through the app, users can report smoke or fire by placing a pin on the map, adding a photograph or short description and submitting the information within seconds. People in the surrounding area then receive a push notification and can view the active report live on the map, allowing them to stay better informed while at home, on the road, in rural areas or near the mountains. Describing the process, Polianskii explained that users can “drop a pin, add a photo or a short note, submit in seconds”, after which “people in the area get a push notification and see it live on the map”. In addition to community reports, SafeIsland CY serves as a practical fire-safety map for the island. The map can include fire stations, forest service locations, water reservoirs and water points, along with emergency and safety-related points of interest, rural and mountain-area reference points and other critical infrastructure relevant to wildfire awareness. This makes the application useful not only during an active incident but also for preparation, local orientation and broader community awareness. Moreover, SafeIsland CY has been developed as a fast, offline-friendly map, helping users access important information in rural and mountainous areas where internet connectivity may be weaker. However, the app is not intended to replace emergency services. In the event of immediate danger, citizens should always contact the relevant authorities through the official emergency channels. Instead, SafeIsland CY is designed to support early awareness, improve access to useful local information and help communities share observations more quickly and responsibly. The application has also been developed with a privacy-first approach. It does not use background location tracking, while location is used only when someone chooses to submit a report. Users decide what information they share, with each report focusing on the incident rather than the person reporting it. At the same time, SafeIsland CY can support a network of trusted volunteers and local partners. Volunteers can submit early reports from the ground, add photographs and short field updates, improve the accuracy of map data and flag outdated or missing points of interest. They can also support local awareness within their communities. Meanwhile, organisations, municipalities and emergency-related partners can improve the quality of the map by contributing verified locations and operational knowledge. According to Polianskii, “verified broadcasts let volunteer admins push trusted island-wide updates”, allowing confirmed information to reach users beyond the immediate area of a possible incident. Building a reliable operating model will depend on cooperation in three main areas, covering official data access, a volunteer network and local partnerships. Cooperation with public authorities and trusted organisations would help maintain accurate and relevant map information, while local contributors could submit reports, provide field updates and help keep map data up to date. Municipalities and community organisations could also provide local knowledge and operational support, particularly in rural, mountain and high-risk areas. Polianskii stressed that the developers were “open to dialogue and collaboration with organisations interested in supporting SafeIsland”. Commenting on the public launch, Brickworks Games chief executive Georgy Beloglazov explained that “SafeIsland CY was created with a clear purpose: to use technology in a practical way so that people and communities can share timely, useful information when there is a potential wildfire risk”. “The first minutes are often critical, and access to local information can support better awareness and faster mobilisation. We are proud that the Brickworks Games team has contributed to an initiative that directly supports the safety and resilience of Cyprus,” Beloglazov added. TechIsland general manager Tanya Romanyukha also referred to the cooperation behind the application, explaining that “the TechIsland Wildfire Initiative is built on the belief that collaboration can lead to practical and meaningful solutions for Cyprus”. “SafeIsland CY is an example of how the technology community can create tools with social impact, supporting awareness, prevention and community readiness. We encourage people across Cyprus to download the app and use it responsibly as an additional tool for community awareness during periods of increased wildfire risk,” Tanya concluded. SafeIsland CY is available free of charge through the App Store and Google Play. Citizens are encouraged to download the app, enable notifications and become familiar with its basic functions, helping their communities access and share wildfire-related information faster and more responsibly.