Israel Sends Firefighting Planes to help battle Cyprus Blaze

Emergency assistance comes at Nicosia’s request after local crews are unable to control blaze due to strong winds.
 According to a report in the Cyprus Mail, the emergency assistance from Israel came at the request of Nicosia, after local firefighters were unable to control the blaze that had burned five square kilometers of vegetation in the Paphos region by Saturday afternoon.

Fire department spokesman Leonidas Leonidou told the paper that strong winds were hampering firefighting efforts, and the blaze would likely continue into Saturday night.

The fire, which broke out at 2:40pm on Saturday in a forest area, was still burning wild shrubs by sundown when winds also picked up.

Manpower of up to 200 individuals along with fire trucks and earth movers initially rushed to the area, including a chopper from the British bases, but they could not succeed in putting the fire out in what had been described as one of the biggest operations to date.

No injuries have been reported, and Leonidou said no area homes were in immediate danger but residents have been evacuated as a precaution.