Paphos: Two helicopters from Jordan were expected to arrive in Cyprus on Monday morning to assist in efforts to extinguish a wildfire that erupted in the Paphos district on Sunday, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Andreas Gregoriou, told CNA, noting that the fire has now been fully contained.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Gregoriou described the wildfire in the Koili and Stroumbi villages as a challenging situation, noting that flare-ups persisted throughout the night. Strong winds, coupled with the area’s difficult terrain, prevented firefighters from operating at close range. Although the blaze was anticipated to be controlled by Sunday afternoon, a change in wind direction caused it to spread further. The fire was brought under partial control by around 21:30, with firefighting forces remaining on site to monitor the situation.
Gregoriou stated that following a risk assessment, additional aerial support was requested from Greece, Jordan, and Israel. However, after a morning evaluation, it was determined that only the two Jordanian helicopters were necessary. He confirmed that information from the Deputy Fire Service Chief and the Operations Director indicated that the fire has been fully contained.
He further explained that Sunday posed significant challenges due to high temperatures and dry weather conditions, which led to several large fires. In response to inquiries about the firefighting helicopters, which Cyprus leases for the fire season, Gregoriou affirmed that they had been released from duty, as no one anticipated wildfires in late November. These helicopters typically operate between April and October.