The deadly wildfire that broke out in the village of Mallia in the Limassol district on Wednesday afternoon continues with no active fronts, though the risk of rekindling around the entire perimeter remains high.
According to an update from the Operations Coordination Centre in Limassol, several flare-ups occurred but were dealt with before they could spread. Strong firefighting forces remained in the area overnight.
District administration teams will continue recording damage today. By 5:00 pm yesterday, reports had been received of damage to 191 residences, 93 of which were completely destroyed, across a total of fifteen villages.
Additionally, 120 vehicles of various types were burned, as well as 31 other structures including caravans, storage units, outbuildings, and a restaurant. This number is expected to rise in the coming days.
It is worth noting that the worst damage was recorded in the communities of Souni-Zanatzia, Agios Therapon, Lofou, and Vouni. During the night, members of the MMAD (Special Anti-Terrorist Unit) and the Police patrolled the fire-stricken areas, as there have been reports of thefts from damaged homes, particularly in the Souni-Zanatzia area.
At the same time, authorities are seeking testimonies to support suspicions of arson.
SigmaLive English continues to report the most important developments minute by minute.
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Power restored in 9 communities (8:45)
More than 300 burnt utility poles have been recorded, with 133 already replaced, according to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) spokesperson. Power has been restored in 9 affected communities.
Due to the inaccessibility of several areas, the EAC secured approval to deploy drones with a pilot to detect damage in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
“Over 150 people are working continuously. Excavators have been brought in to open roads and allow access to areas with burnt poles,” the spokesperson added.
Damage assessments continue (8:20)
According to a statement to CNA by the Acting District Officer of Limassol, Electra Panayiotou, district administration teams will continue assessing the damage today. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, reports had been received for damage to 191 homes, of which 93 were completely destroyed across a total of fifteen villages.
In addition, 120 vehicles of various types were burned, along with 31 other structures including caravans, storage units, outbuildings, and a restaurant. This number is expected to rise in the coming days.
It is worth noting that the most extensive damage has been recorded in the communities of Souni-Zanatzia, Agios Therapon, Lofou, and Vouni. Overnight, members of the MMAD (Special Anti-Terrorist Squad) and the Police patrolled the fire-affected areas, as thefts have been reported from damaged homes—particularly in the village of Souni-Zanatzia.
Flare-ups brought under control (8:15)
There are no active fire fronts, but the deadly wildfire that broke out in the village of Mallia in the Limassol district on Wednesday afternoon still poses a high risk of reigniting around its entire perimeter.
According to an update from the Limassol Operations Coordination Centre, flare-ups were reported but were contained before they could spread. Throughout the night, strong firefighting forces remained stationed in the area.
Protest in Limassol next week (8:10)
Appeal from the Department of Forests (8:10)
The Department of Forests has announced that the risk of outbreak and spread of forest fires is at Red Alert Level.
It is emphasised that causing a fire, according to the law, constitutes a criminal offence and carries severe penalties.
A strong appeal is made to the public to exercise extreme caution during outings, completely avoiding any actions or activities that could potentially cause a fire.
Anyone who notices smoke or fire is urged to immediately call 1407 (Department of Forests) or 112 (Fire Service).
High risk of wildfire rekindling remains (7:40)
The risk of rekindling the Limassol wildfire remains high. Throughout the night, firefighting forces stayed on alert.
At the same time, authorities are seeking witness testimony to confirm indications of arson.
Heartbreaking images (23:01)
Ambulance Service handled a total of 70 incidents (22:46)
The Ambulance Service handled a total of 70 incidents, 16 of which required transport by ambulance to Limassol General Hospital for further care, said Riana Konstantinou, Head of the Ambulance Service of the State Health Services Organisation (OKYPY), in a statement to CNA.
In response to a relevant question, Ms Konstantinou stated that from the very first moment the crisis plan was activated, the Ambulance Service implemented its operational response plan in collaboration with the Minister of Health and the OKYPY Administration, deploying resources on the ground.
Specifically, a medical centre was set up at the Erimi stadium to receive members of the public seeking any form of medical assistance, aiming to ease the burden on hospitals and provide immediate support to people in need.
“We deployed around nine ambulances along the entire stretch of the wildfire. Ambulance response was continuous and 24/7, with significant staff on site. This setup helped us manage every incident that needed attention, in coordination with the Fire Service Centre established at the Kourion Town Hall. We managed incidents directly in the field, at the fire sites. In total, we handled around 70 incidents, 16 of which were transported by ambulance to Limassol General Hospital for further treatment,” she added.
Ms Konstantinou continued that some of the cases were very serious, while others were of moderate severity, but all were dealt with appropriately.
She also mentioned that, in cooperation with Civil Defence, people who were bedridden but not facing medical issues were transported from their homes to safer areas by the Ambulance Service together with volunteer rescue teams.
She noted that the way the Erimi Centre was set up, along with the strategic placement of ambulances, meant that no lives were put at risk when help was needed. “I won’t comment on the fatalities, as those were not cases we could have changed, but at least we were able to respond to all emergencies that came to our attention,” she said.
When it was remarked that the Ambulance Service is always on the front line, Ms Konstantinou replied, “Yes, because that is our role.”
“The Ambulance Service is out there, it exists for the citizens, for their safety, for the people, and for that reason we are always operationally ready to support any emergency — especially in the face of a disaster of this scale,” she concluded.
SIGMA report from the scorched earth – “They simply abandoned us” (22:20)
Even God is weeping. Ashes, charred remains, an endless grey stretching across dozens of square kilometres—where trees once stood, now there is only the stench of smoke and death.
The mountainous region of Limassol, from Souni to Omodos, has been transformed into a vast landscape of devastation.
Battles with flare-ups shown on a map (21:55)
