Greek and Israeli aircraft tackle Limassol wildfire, flare-ups controlled

Two Greek Canadair planes and an Israeli aircraft commenced operations on Tuesday morning in the Limassol district, where a massive fire has scorched a 10-square-kilometer area. While minor flare-ups were detected last night, swift action from ground forces contained the situation.

Fire Department Spokesperson Andreas Kettis addressed the press at the Paramytha village Coordination Center, revealing that one of the Greek government's Canadair aircraft had experienced a minor issue the previous day, leading to its exclusion from the operation. Kettis clarified that, with the fire now contained, the decision was made to resume flights today to aid in perimeter delineation.

Kettis emphasized the standard practice of deploying Canadair aircraft in pairs and noted that while the fire is currently under control, sporadic reignitions persist.

Simultaneously, a meeting unfolded at the Paramytha Coordination Center between Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Cyprus' Minister of Justice and Public Order, Anna Koukkides Prokopiou. The gathering included the participation of Andreas Gregoriou, Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, Stelios Papatheodorou, Police Chief, Nikos Longinos, Fire Department Chief, the Israeli Ambassador, and National Guard representatives.