A catastrophic wildfire that erupted on 23 July in the Limassol mountains has destroyed 120.7 square kilometres of land, equivalent to 1.3% of Cyprus’s total area, according to new analysis by the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence.
The assessment was based on high-resolution satellite data from the PlanetScope constellation, obtained on 26 July. The data reveals the extent of destruction, which affects biodiversity, ecosystems and local communities that will require decades to recover.
According to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) WorldCover programme, approximately 51% of the burnt area comprises grassland, 31% sclerophyllous vegetation, 15.5% trees, whilst 1.1% affects residential areas.
Of particular concern is that approximately 21% of the total burnt land lies within the Natura 2000 network, affecting protected areas including the Paramali River, the Cha-Potami Special Protection Zone and the Limnatis Valley Special Protection Zone.
(information from CNA)
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