The Fire Service has begun inspections along the buffer zone to identify points considered vulnerable to wildfires, following a recent fire in the Nicosia district that came close to homes and other premises.
Fire Service spokesman Andreas Kettis told CNA on Friday that the campaign is aimed at mapping areas where dry vegetation, waste or other hazards could allow fires to spread from the occupied areas into the government-controlled areas.
He said the Fire Service is contacting the relevant state authorities where risks are identified, so that clearance work and the removal of waste can be carried out in time.
The latest inspections form part of wider prevention work being carried out across Cyprus during the high-risk summer period, including checks in communities and areas considered exposed to fire hazards.
Kettis said the issue is considered serious, as fires starting in the occupied areas can spread across the buffer zone and threaten communities on the other side. He referred to the recent Nicosia fire, during which a number of homes and other premises were placed at risk.
The aim, he added, is to inform local authorities and communities bordering the buffer zone, so that vegetation clearance and other preventive measures can be taken before fires break out or spread.
The Fire Service attempted to carry out such work on Thursday, Kettis said, as part of the effort to reduce the risk to nearby residential areas and properties.
Source: CNA
