Government vows to buy new fire-fighting helicopters

By Martin Hellicar

THE GOVERNMENT is to buy two or three fire-fighting helicopters to help douse forest fires like the ones that ravaged the southeastern Troodos foothills in June.

The decision was taken by the Cabinet, which yesterday also set the levels of compensation to be paid out to those affected by the devastating fires – described as the worst since the 1974 invasion.

The fire-fighting helicopters will have the capability to operate by night and the capacity to carry up to five tonnes of water, Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou announced after yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

The helicopters currently in service with the police and army can only carry up to one tonne of water.

Christodoulou said a ministerial committee had been tasked to iron out the details before tenders for supply of the fire-fighting choppers were sought.

The Minister promised the helicopters would be ready for action by next year. “Things are being put in order when it comes to fire-fighting,” he vowed.

Christodoulou has previously admitted that the desperately needed helicopters cannot be brought in sooner because of the sluggish pace of state acquisition procedures.

Cyprus regularly has to rely on helicopters from the British bases to help combat forest fires. The island needed help from Greece and Israel as well before the massive fires raging in the Larnaca and Limassol districts between June 13 and 16 could be put out. The fires, blamed on arsonists, threatened a number of villages.

The damage caused by the fires – which burnt about 50 square kilometres of pine, carob, olive, scrub, orchards and crops – is estimated at £600,000.

Christodoulou said yesterday that the Cabinet had decided to provide some £280,000 in compensation to villagers who lost trees, crops or other property in the fires. The villagers are to be compensated for 90 per cent of their losses.

Another £375,000 is to go towards restoration of the burnt forestland.

Almost a quarter of a million pounds will be paid out in the form of compensation for civilians who helped battle the flames and for forestry, fire brigade and police officers who worked overtime in fire-fighting efforts.

The cabinet also decided to further boost the fire and forestry services.

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