Firefighters Bring Large Blaze Under Control Near Paphos: Damage Assessment Underway

For the third day, firefighters have been battling a large forest fire near Paphos. Yesterday, the fire flared up again, prompting firefighters to work through the night to bring the situation under control.

According to local media, by morning, there were no active fire fronts in the disaster zone. However, many localized hotspots remain scattered throughout the area.

Aerial firefighting continued late into the evening, dropping water on the hotspots. This effort is likely to continue today, especially in hard-to-reach areas where ground firefighting forces cannot reach.

According to a fire service spokesperson, firefighting crews remain on alert due to the risk of further flare-ups in the ongoing heatwave in Cyprus.

"Firefighters were on alert all night. The night passed quietly without any new flare-ups. There are isolated hotspots on the scorched territories. Ground forces continue to monitor the situation," the fire service representative reported.

The large forest fire east of the Giolos community in the Paphos district ignited on Tuesday afternoon. Homes and cottage settlements were at risk. Due to the intense heat, the fire spread rapidly.

Residents of the villages of Polemi, Psathi, Lemona, Choulou, and Kourtoukis were evacuated.

Three people were injured as a result of the fire. An 82-year-old man fell into a swimming pool. Additionally, two other people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Meanwhile, authorities are assessing the damage caused by the fire. Efforts to restore power are ongoing in the region. The Electricity Authority has reported at least 50 power poles destroyed by the fire.

Preliminary data indicates that at least 20 houses have been seriously damaged, four of which are completely destroyed. Some of the damaged structures are no longer habitable. Additionally, a photovoltaic park in Polemi was destroyed.

It is also noted that some of the houses damaged by the fire in Paphos may have been built illegally, which disqualifies their owners from receiving government compensation. This issue will be reviewed by the authorities later.

"After assessing the damage, all licensed properties, whether commercial or residential, will be compensated as has been done in previous similar cases," stated Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou after a cabinet meeting in Nicosia on Wednesday.