A major wildfire that broke out in the Evkali area of Pyrga, in Larnaca district, reached the yards of nearby homes before firefighters brought it under partial control, preventing what authorities described as a potentially more serious incident.
The blaze destroyed pine trees, wild vegetation, reed beds, and cultivated farmland, while also affecting the yards of homes that had not been cleared of dry grass and overgrown vegetation.
Major firefighting operation launched
The Department of Forests was placed on high alert immediately after receiving reports of the fire, with its spokesperson, Glafkos Kyriakou, describing the incident as a major emergency.
The department activated its “Astrapi” emergency response plan, deploying extensive resources to contain the blaze.
A total of 22 fire engines took part in the operation, supported by Department of Forests aircraft, while the Fire Service also assisted with the firefighting effort.
Homes threatened but worst avoided
Although the flames threatened nearby homes, the swift and coordinated response by ground and aerial crews prevented the fire from spreading further.
The wildfire burned through pine forest, wild vegetation, reed beds and cereal crops, while the yards of several homes were also affected. According to the authorities, the properties impacted had not been cleared of dry grass and overgrown vegetation.
The fire has since been brought under partial control, with firefighting crews remaining at the scene to tackle remaining hotspots.
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