Forest fire burning out of control forces evacuation of four villages

Cypriot authorities ordered the evacuation of four mountain villages which are in the way of a forest fire blazing out of control, Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos said on Sunday.

He said that the residents of the four villages, about 50 km southwest of Nicosia, were told to be out of their homes nightfall, as fire-fighting aircraft would stop operating after that.

A police spokeswoman said the fire was started by a 12-year-old boy who tried to burn dry grass outside the country house of his grand-father.

Heatwave temperatures and winds fanned the flames out of control driving them towards Cyprus' central Troodos mountain range forest, covered mostly by easy burning pine trees.

Cyprus requested Greece to send fire-fighting planes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent three fire-fighting helicopters on his own initiative.

He said the help was a gesture of reciprocation, as Cyprus had sent a strong fire-fighting force to help put out a fire burning out of control on Mount Carmel, a few years back.

The helicopters had been actually sent to help in fighting another fire in the western part of Cyprus, which was put out by local forces by day-break on Sunday.

But they came handy when the fire west of Nicosia broke out at midday.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said the situation in the region of the fire was dramatic.

He thanked Greece and Israel for what he described as their invaluable help towards fighting the blaze.

Cypriot firefighting services have been stretched thin since Saturday afternoon, having been called to put out at least four major forest fires.

Cyprus is in the grip of a heatwave caused by a warm air mass from Africa.

Temperatures reached 39 degrees Celsius on Sunday and are expected to soar to 41 degrees Celsius on Monday, staying there for at least three more days. Endit