Amid the heat wave and forecasts of even higher temperatures in the coming days, government agencies are on high alert in light of the significant risk of wildfires breaking out and spreading. A meeting at Fire Department Headquarters, attended by all relevant officials, was convened for Tuesday morning by Nikos Loginos, with the aim of coordinating efforts and, if necessary, implementing emergency preventive measures.

“We have taken a great many measures. We have formed teams that have visited all the communities and provided advice on cleaning up the areas surrounding them. For the first time, chain-equipped vehicles are on standby on trucks, along with their drivers, at strategic locations; should a fire break out, this mechanism is activated.”
Nikos Logginos – Chief Fire Officer, Fire Department

At this time, the Republic of Cyprus has 13 primary aerial firefighting assets at its disposal, while ground-based defenses have also been reinforced, including an increase in personnel at rural fire stations.

READ ALSO: Fire risk on “red alert”

“We have switched field stations to 24-hour operation, and they no longer work until 7 a.m., but on a 24-hour basis, so that we are ready and can respond even during the night. Drone teams have been formed. As we speak, there are a great many volunteer teams out there patrolling.”
Nikos Loginos

The Fire Department is issuing an urgent appeal to the public to be especially vigilant and to immediately notify the relevant authorities if a fire or suspicious activity is detected.

READ ALSO: Fire Risk: Difficult Days Ahead; Fire Department Takes Emergency Measures

Kaminí

Temperatures today soared to 41 degrees Celsius inland, with the yellow warning being renewed for tomorrow as well, effective from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Gradually, the mercury may reach as high as 43 degrees Celsius next Wednesday.

“Through Monday and Tuesday, it looks like we’ll be seeing temperatures around 40 to 41 degrees Celsius. Most likely, Wednesday is a day when we might even see an orange alert.”
Andreas Chrysanthou – Press Spokesperson for the Meteorological Service

After that, temperatures are expected to return to seasonal norms.

However, just like today, tomorrow’s weather forecast for the mountains includes rain and thunderstorms.

Watch the report by Rafaella Stavrinou: