A major wildfire that threatened the villages of Agia Anna and Psevdas on Monday has left behind a landscape of scorched hillsides and burned vegetation, prompting renewed calls from local communities for the relocation of the Kalo Chorio firing range where the blaze started.
The fire broke out during a National Guard ammunition disposal operation at the firing range and quickly spread across forested areas between Kalo Chorio, Agia Anna and Psevdas.
While firefighting crews succeeded in preventing damage to homes and properties, the blaze caused significant environmental damage and affected nearby agricultural land.
According to the Department of Forests, approximately 120 hectares of pine trees, olive trees, shrubs and wild vegetation were destroyed. Cultivated land in surrounding communities was also damaged, although the full extent of those losses has not yet been assessed.
Department of Forests spokesperson Glafkos Kyriakou said personnel remained on site throughout Monday night, supported by bulldozers and forestry staff, to secure the area and tackle flare-ups.
Several rekindlings were reported but were extinguished before they could spread further.
Questions demand answers
The circumstances that led to the wildfire continue to raise serious questions among residents and local authorities.
The decision by the National Guard's 70th Engineer Battalion to proceed with the destruction of munitions during a period of extreme heat and elevated wildfire risk has sparked anger in surrounding communities, particularly given prior warnings issued by the Department of Forests about dangerous fire conditions.
Agia Anna community leader Anastasis Georgiou said residents remain outraged by what occurred and confirmed that efforts would be launched to revive a long-standing demand for the firing range to be relocated.
He described the request as a longstanding one that has repeatedly failed to gain support, despite previous incidents in which activities at the range caused disruption and concern in neighbouring communities.
Georgiou also assigned responsibility to the Ministry of Defence, arguing that authorities were aware ammunition disposal operations would take place that day.
"Nobody goes and carries out these activities on their own initiative in temperatures like these," he said.
Defence Ministry calls for patience
For its part, the Ministry of Defence urged the public to wait for the outcome of the investigation before drawing conclusions.
Ministry spokesperson Sofianos Philippides said any responsibilities identified would be assigned once the inquiry is completed.
He added that it is difficult to establish fixed procedures for all ammunition disposal operations because each case is different.
Philippides confirmed that the unit involved was the 70th Engineer Battalion and said the investigation would determine the precise circumstances under which the wildfire started.
He noted that the findings would reveal whether any omissions or failures occurred.
According to the Fire Service, the blaze broke out at the Kalo Chorio firing range at 12.17pm on Monday.
National Civil Protection Coordinator Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos said the first firefighting vehicles arrived at the scene seven minutes later, while the wider emergency response mechanism was activated immediately because the fire had already spread beyond the boundaries of the firing range.
