The Fire Service and police are stepping up patrols across Paphos district after a week of fires, working on additional plans to avoid the worst this summer as heatwaves continue without a break.
Fire Service and police officials are coordinating their efforts after repeated fires in rural parts of Paphos with a history of arson, mainly over the past weekend, aiming for more effective policing across the district during these difficult days of very high temperatures.
As part of that, air patrols by the aircraft based at Paphos airport, and at Larnaca and Akrotiri, have been increased and organised on a more systematic programme. They are backing up the ground firefighting forces of the Forestry Department and the Fire Service, which are combing the district from end to end.
The situation as it has developed since mid-July is worrying the authorities. The many fires recorded so far have been tackled quickly and with the smallest possible losses, but the criminal activity of some is judged to demand superhuman efforts if the summer is to pass with the least possible loss of property and environment.
