Limassol: A group of American experts visited Thursday the area near Mallia community where the wildfire that killed two people and burned down more houses and trees, in July, started. The team arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday at the request of President Nikos Christodoulides, to investigate the cause of last month’s Limassol wildfires.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the head of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)’s national response team, expressed their intention to work ‘as efficiently as possible’ to provide the answers requested by the government. The team, which arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday, visited the area where the fire began, west of the community of Mallia, along with members of the Cyprus Police and the Fire Service Department to investigate the origin and spread of the fire.
Team supervisor, Brian Lovin, explained that the ATF’s national response team has an international branch that responds globally at the request of different governments. He noted that in this instance, the Republic of Cyprus reached out to the U.S. embassy for assistance.
Lovin stated that their main goal is to collaborate with law enforcement and fire department officials to determine the origin and cause of the fire. He also expressed appreciation for the invitation to assist and work with local and state law enforcement partners.
When asked about a timeline, Lovin mentioned that they did not have one, but emphasized their commitment to working efficiently to provide the government with the requested answers. The experts are expected to remain in Cyprus for ten days and will present an initial report on their findings, followed by a written report to be submitted to the President of the Republic.