Kouris fire likely an act of arson, police searching for grey saloon car
A fire which broke out near Kouris dam overnight was brought under complete control on Wednesday and criminal action is being investigated, police said.
At the break of dawn aerial means began their operation to put out any flare-ups after the fire burned an area of 30 hectares of dry grass, reeds and trees in the riverbed. The fire is now under complete control but the authorities are vigilant as windy conditions are expected.
Speaking on CyBC’s morning programme, police spokesman Christos Andreou said information had been received about a vehicle sighted by a witness in the area, immediately before the fire’s outbreak. Police later specified they are looking for a grey saloon car.
The fact that the fire broke out overnight was suspicious and signals it was maliciously set, Andreou said.
It had started close to a road, Fire Chief Nikos Longinos also stated, adding that the fact that it was in a gorge created a chimney effect making it all-the-more dangerous.
Authorities struggled to contain the fire in the hard-to-access area below the dam, south of Kourion and north of Erimi, under the prevailing conditions of darkness and strong winds. They succeeded in doing so by 9pm.
Fire department spokesman Andres Kettis said in a post on X that five fire trucks were in the area, including one from the forestry department. Volunteer groups and the civil defence also participated in the operation.
A second fire on Tuesday in Lania was put out shortly after around 3pm, having burned 20 hectares near an illegal rubbish dump. It is also being investigated for criminal intent.
The fire was extinguished using more then 12 fire vehicles and six aircraft.
On Monday a fire which broke out around 1pm in Paphos near the village of Droushia was later determined to have started from a roadside ditch, also prompting police investigation into arson.
Minister of Justice Marios Hartsiotis also visited the scene of the Kouris fire on Thursday afternoon to be informed by the fire chief.
Drone patrols of areas of Paphos and Limassol deemed at risk have been stepped up, in view of the fact that all three fires broke out during cooler temperatures and on days when strong winds were forecast, strengthening suspicion of deliberate acts.
The authorities have also urged the public to immediately report any suspicious activity.