Newsroom
A team of elite American fire investigators has begun work at the site where last month’s devastating Limassol mountain blaze first erupted, aiming to determine what sparked the disaster and how it spread.
The 10-member team, from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), was invited to Cyprus by President Nikos Christodoulides. Early Friday, they joined Cypriot police and fire officials in Mallia, the rural community where the fire began.
“Our main goal here is to work with local law enforcement and fire officials to determine the origin and cause of this fire,” said team leader Brian Lavin, adding that both he and the U.S. government were grateful for the invitation to assist.
The experts, whose backgrounds range from arson investigation and forensic analysis to intelligence gathering, will spend the coming days visiting other affected areas and interviewing residents. Lavin said the team will remain in Cyprus “as long as necessary” to complete its work.
Before leaving, the group will brief President Christodoulides on their initial findings and later submit a detailed written report. Their mission is twofold: identify the causes and circumstances of the fire and share investigative techniques with Cypriot first responders to strengthen future fire response efforts.
In a second phase, the Americans will also review how the blaze was managed, offering recommendations to improve coordination between emergency services. The findings are expected to feed into broader civil protection reforms already underway with support from the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument program.
The ATF’s International Response Team is deployed worldwide at the request of foreign governments, and in this case, Cyprus sought their help through the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia. As an EU member state, Cyprus will also draw on the European Civil Protection Mechanism for additional expertise.
The Limassol fire destroyed large swathes of forest and caused widespread damage, prompting public calls for answers. Authorities say the ATF team’s investigation is a key step toward understanding what happened and making sure the island is better prepared next time.
