Ayios Amvrosios wildfire under control

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A wildfire raging on three fronts in the Limassol village of Ayios Amvrosios that destroyed two holiday homes has been brought under control with authorities suspecting arson.

The fire department said the blaze – that started Tuesday afternoon — burnt a total area of 2 square kilometres.

Fire department spokesperson Andreas Kettis tweeted: “The fire is manageable. Only a small active front remains. Firefighting forces are attempting to suppress it”.

He said firefighters would monitor the area after the blaze is fully extinguished to prevent any reignition.

Local authorities blame the fire on arson.

Ayios Amvrosios community leader Stelios Gregoriou is suspicious that the fire had started from the road.

“This fire was deliberate, just like the one we had on the previous day, which proved to be arson,” he said.

The fire raged on three active fronts, one towards Pachna, Vouni and Ayios Amvrosios, with strong winds prevailing in the area, making it hard for firefighters.

Authorities launched the Icarus emergency plan with firefighting aircraft sent from the forests department, the British Bases, the National Guard, and police helicopters.

Two villas were seriously damaged, while police evacuated the village of Ayios Amvrosios, with some houses in the village affected.

The fire department said timely intervention protected a large number of houses and livestock.

Commissioner for rural communities Costas Champiaouris gave assurances the government would stand by those who have suffered damage from the blaze.

Authorities have urged the public to be particularly careful in rural areas as extremely hot and dry weather conditions increase fire hazards.

The fire department was mobilised on Wednesday after a fire broke out at the Kotsiatis landfill site outside Nicosia.

Cyprus is experiencing scorching temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius and above.