Two dead as Cyprus wildfire destroys homes and threatens a dozen villages
At least 100 square kilometres (39 square miles) was razed to the ground in a wine-producing region north of the city of Limassol after the blaze broke out around midday on Wednesday, with several fronts still active on Thursday morning.
Two people were found dead in a burned-out vehicle, trapped by the fire. At least 10 people were injured, two of them seriously, police said.
Investigators are on the scene, but police did not release any additional details about the victim.
Temperatures on the island peaked at 43C on Wednesday, triggering an amber weather alert. A new amber warning was in place on Thursday, with highs forecast to hit 44C - the hottest of the year so far.
The Cyprus Interior Ministry issued instructions for the immediate evacuation of villages along a 14-kilometre (8.7 mile) stretch of mountainous terrain.
Children from at least one camping ground near the village of Lofou were also evacuated. Media reports showed some gutted homes smouldering as the flames swept through the outskirts of some villages. Images broadcast on media showed flames consuming trees, brush and other vegetation along a huge front burning bright orange against the backdrop of a nighttime sky.
Police blocked road access to the fire-afflicted communities while some villagers were reportedly reluctant to flee their homes.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides sped to a firefighting coordination centre in the village of Ayios Efraim to be briefed on efforts to contain the blaze as crews struggled because of very windy conditions that quickly shifted the flames' direction.
Christodoulides said more than 250 firefighters from across the island nation are at the front and expressed hope that winds would die down overnight, according to a Weather Service forecast.
'I want to make a public appeal to all. I completely understand the issue with property, but people must follow the instructions from those who know best and evacuate their homes,' the Cypriot president said.
Authorities said it was too early to give a precise account of damage or what started the fire.
"We are talking about very strong winds, with gusts, which were constantly interchanging," fire brigade spokesperson Andreas Kettis said.
Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said that Spain would be sending two firefighting aircraft on Thursday morning to assist local crews.
Some 13 aircraft had been fighting the blaze until sundown and will resume their work at first light. Jordan is helping with two of its own helicopters that had been deployed in Cyprus for firefighting needs. An RAF Chinook helicopter that operates from one of two British Bases on Cyprus is also assisting.
Limassol Municipality and the local soccer club Apollonas offered apartments and a basketball court, respectively, to temporarily house evacuees.
Cyprus has been on high alert for fires this summer after three consecutive arid winters.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Firefighters tackle huge blaze involving 20 tonnes of tyres
Homes have been evacuated as firefighters tackle a huge blaze involving 20 tonnes of tyres in West Bromwich. The West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has said four factory units on Great Bridge Street are involved in the blaze but there have been no injuries. The WMFS initially said it was dealing with a fire involving a single-storey factory, measuring approximately 100m by 100m, after it was called at around 10.40am on Sunday morning. Images show a huge black plume of smoke billowing from the site, with firefighters tackling the flames from aerial ladder platforms. Fifteen fire engines were sent to the scene, with a high-volume pump which used water from a nearby canal brought into help put out the blaze. West Midlands Police co-ordinated the evacuation of several homes on nearby Elwell Street as "a precaution", the WMFS said. The fire service has been working with police to ensure "local residents affected by the evacuation, and businesses, are kept safe". A structural engineer has been at the scene of the fire due to structural concerns and a partial collapse in one area. The engineer will "make an assessment", the WMFS said. Gas and electricity engineers have been at the scene to isolate affected supplies where possible, the fire service added. The cause of the fire has not yet been reported. WMFS said in an update on Sunday: "Some fire investigations have taken place, with further investigations expected tomorrow (Monday), when it is safe to do so. "Regular multi-agency briefings are taking place and we expect to continue to remain in attendance for some time." WMFS said at around 10pm on Sunday that local residents who had been evacuated were "expected to be able to return to their homes shortly". However, people living in the area were still advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to the huge amount of smoke in the area. WMFS said it has been supported by representatives from National Grid, Severn Trent, the Environmental Agency and Sandwell Council in its response to the blaze.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Wildfires burn through the night in Eastern Europe as over 50 blazes in Greece alone sees families evacuated from their homes
Wildfires are burning through the night in Eastern Europe with more than 50 blazes in Greece alone forcing families to be evacuated from their homes. Chaos broke out across the country on Sunday as temperatures soared to 44C which, paired with dry conditions and strong winds, has been causing fires across the continent. Two houses became engulfed in flames in Drosopigi, a village near Athens, forcing residents to flee their homes. At least five locals were rushed to hospital to be treated for their burns and smoke inhalation following the terrifying blaze. More than 200 firefighters, helped out by water-bombing aircraft and helicopters, were still tackling the fire on Sunday morning. A total of five major blazes broke out across Greece on a sweltering day which saw authorities issue a fresh emergency alert urging locals in Pissona, on the island of Evia, to evacuate. Officials there confirmed that a second fire had got 'out of control', The Times reports, and was heading towards the town of Afrati at speed. The blaze caused a number of villages, including Pournos and Mistros, to have their electricity supply cut off thanks to ruined power lines and pylons. Six firefighters had to be rushed to hospital while 115 stayed on to tackle the blaze. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, a spokesman for the fire brigade, said: 'Today is expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire, almost throughout the territory.' He added that at least 52 new blazes had popped up in the preceding 24 hours, but insisted that the situation was getting better in some places. Crews continued to tackle fires on the islands of Crete and Kythira, as well as the Messinia region of the Peloponnese. In Chania, Crete, a huge fire caused damage to homes and a church. Meanwhile, teams on the tourist hotspot of Kythira attempted to extinguish a blaze which was said to have extended across half of the island, according to deputy mayor Giorgos Komninos. He added that homes, as well as natural habitats, had been destroyed. Near Athens's northern edge, a series of blazes had to be contained in the greater Attica region, with teams putting a stop to them by the end of the day. Amid the destruction, Greece has been forced into asking for emergency help via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, in the form of six firefighting planes. In the meantime, support crews from Italy and the Czech Republic were expected to land in the country late on Sunday. Several regions remain under further fire threats, including the Ionian Islands, western Greece, the Peloponnese, central Greece, Attica, Epirus, western Macedonia (Florina, Kastoria, Kozani), eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Evros), Thessaly (Magnesia, Larisa, Trikala), the south Aegean (Rhodes) and Crete, officials confirmed. 'Apocalyptic' wildfires have been engulfing Southern Europe all weekend, with several holiday hotspots threatened by the blazes and residents forced to flee their homes. Fourteen people have been killed by the wild infernos in Turkey sparked by a record 50C heatwave, while blazes have also struck Montenegro and Albania. Smoke rose from charred tree branches near Montenegro's capital Podgorica on Sunday while huge flames could be seen dangerously close to city tower blocks. Meanwhile, fire tore through landscapes near Bulqiza, Albania, this weekend as emergency services desperately tried to tame the blaze. Twenty-six fires broke out throughout the country on Saturday, following a serious blaze near the southern Albanian town of Delvina on Friday, injuring three people and forcing the evacuation of around 2,000 locals. Overnight, flames obliterated the forested mountains surrounding Bursa city in northwest Turkey, shining a threatening red glow on the sky. It marked the latest city to be hit by deadly blazes this summer - as Cyprus also fell victim to aggressive wildfires amid unusually hot weather. The governor's office in Bursa said more than 1,760 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as around 2,000 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed off as surrounding forests burned. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, likened the scene to 'an apocalypse'. Turkey has been hit by dozens of wildfires every day since late June - with Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli revealing fire crews across the country approached 76 separate blazes on Saturday alone. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature - 50.5C (122.9F) - within the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The same day, homes and holiday properties burnt down in popular holiday hotspot Cyprus. A wide angle view shows smoke and flames rising as firefighting efforts continue after a forest fire, which was largely brought under control in the morning, reignites due to strong winds The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice in response to the devastation on the island. Warning of 'active wildfires', the government highlighted the Paphos and Limassol districts as some of the affected areas, located in the south of Cyprus. It added: 'Transport and infrastructure (electricity, water) links in locations close to the fires may be affected whilst the authorities respond to the situation.' Though the FCDO noted the airports in Paphos and Larnaca are 'operating as normal'. 'If you are due to travel to an area that might be affected by wildfires, contact your travel operator or accommodation provider before you travel to check that it is not currently impacted. Make sure you have appropriate insurance,' the advice read. The Foreign Office also included recommendations for those in the area or affected by the wildfires. 'Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires. You should follow the guidance of the emergency services,' it stated. 'Call the Cypriot Emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger. A firefighting helicopter operates in a burned area after a wildfire in the area of Kryoneri, in the suburbs of Athens, Greece, on Sunday Firefighters attempt to extinguish a wildfire as smoke and flames rise from a forested area in the Gursu district of Bursa early on Sunday The fires are being ignited by unusually high temperatures, alongside dry conditions and strong winds Smoke and flames rise from a forested area during the latest major wildfire in Turkey 'Contact your airline or travel operator, who can assist you with information relating travel back to the UK.' And on Saturday, British tourists were put on alert as Greece wildfires spread amid a 44C heatwave - as a blaze tore through the capital of Athens. The southern European country was first hit with the scorching temperatures on Monday and they have not relented throughout the week. After the mercury hit a blistering 44C high in Athens on Tuesday, a wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the capital on Friday. Shocking pictures showed homes ablaze while residents of the town of Kryoneri, 12.5miles northeast of Athens, received three SMS warnings to evacuate.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
Wildfires rage across Bulgaria, destroying forests and homes
SOFIA, July 27 (Reuters) - Firefighters battled wildfires at nearly 100 locations across Bulgaria on Sunday, with houses burned and residents evacuated, local media reported. A fire at the foot of the Pirin mountain in southwestern Bulgaria was spreading across thousands of acres of forest, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported. Another fire in the town of Simitli destroyed several houses as it spread towards the Maleshevo Mountain. More than 200 firefighters sent to the area on Saturday were pulled out because high winds were putting their lives in danger, authorities said, adding they expected air support from other EU countries. In western Bulgaria, a fire which broke out on Saturday and quickly spread across the border into Serbia on Sunday along the Miloslavska mountain range, almost burned the village Rani Lug to the ground, Nova television reported. "It's a merciless tragedy," emergency volunteer Zvezdelin Vlaykov said as huge clouds of smoke rose over the hills. "In all my years of firefighting, I've never seen anything like it." Authorities said three villages had been evacuated and the fire had caused significant damage. In a statement, the Interior Ministry described Bulgaria's wildfire situation as "dynamic and severe". On Sunday afternoon, a large fire broke out in the village of Kozarevo in the southeastern province of Yambol, burning several houses, BNR reported. Countries in southeast Europe have experienced record temperatures over the past week, with many located in an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot" by scientists.
