Members of the United States’ ATF begin work in Cyprus today, following an official request by President Nikos Christodoulides. Their mission is to support the investigation and evaluation of how the recent Limassol wildfire was managed, after it caused significant destruction in the island’s mountainous region.
The ten-member team from the ATF arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday. According to Deputy Government Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou, the experts will conduct on-site inspections, focusing on the area where the first signs of smoke were reported. They are expected to remain in Cyprus for ten days.
At the end of their investigation, the team will provide an initial assessment of their findings, followed by a written report to be submitted directly to the President of the Republic.
The US ATF unit is considered one of the most experienced and highly specialised investigative teams in the world for cases involving wildfires and arson.
The US Embassy in Nicosia welcomed the arrival of the experts, highlighting the strong collaboration between the two countries. In a statement posted on X , the embassy expressed its honour in hosting “ten of the world’s top fire investigators” to assist with the Limassol wildfire investigation. It also praised the Cyprus-US partnership, describing it as one where both nations “stand by each other in times of crisis.”
The deployment of this expert team comes amid ongoing efforts to understand the causes and improve the future response to wildfires in Cyprus.
Source: CNA
Feature photo source: CNBC
Also read: US experts arrive in Cyprus to investigate Limassol wildfires
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