TWENTY FIRE ENGINES, four helicopters and over 100 people were required to put out a huge fire, which tore through the outskirts of Paphos on Thursday.
It was the biggest of 52 fires that broke out island-wide over the past 48 hours due to the unseasonably high temperatures. The blaze stretched for 1,000 square metres across fields in mountainous areas close to the villages of Salamios, Ayios Ioannis and Vretsias. The Fire Services believe it was started by a farmer burning some form of refuse.
Fire Chief George Hadjigeorgiou told the Cyprus Mail: “We are not sure exactly how it started but we are currently in the process of examining the cause, in cooperation with the police.”
He added that it took nine hours to finally get it under control after a combined effort with the Fire Services of Paphos and Limassol, the Forestry Department, Games Services, National Guard, EMAK Special Disaster Unit, British Bases and members of the public.
“It was a huge fire which we fought amid difficult mountain terrain which made access difficult and strong winds which fuelled the flames,” Hadjigeorgiou said, adding that “there were several re-ignitions during the night”.
The most serious of the flare-ups occurred at 6am yesterday morning and it required further mobilisation of the helicopters.”
Olive, almond and carob trees, along with grapevines were burnt to the ground, with the financial cost not yet known.
“Our main concern was to protect the residential area of Ayios Ioannis as the inferno was heading straight for the village. Flames actually reached the gardens of several homes, which were in serious danger of being burnt down.”
The Fire Chief praised the efforts of everybody involved in “making sure that the fire was put out with no injuries reported thankfully.”
He estimated that it would take, “more than five years for the area to recover as the dry climate makes it hard for the vegetation to grow.”
An elderly resident told reporters that he hadn’t seen a fire that big in the area in almost 50 years.
As if the blaze wasn’t enough to keep the Fire Services busy in the area, another four, smaller fires broke out at the same time in the Paphos districts of Akamas, Achelia and near the Asprokremos Dam.
“They were not serious and were brought under control quickly,” said Hadjigeorgiou.
??
??
??
??
