President Nikos Christodoulides has asked the American government for help to investigate and evaluate the management of the recent fires, he said on Monday evening.

At the same time, he released reports written by four government departments about their role in reacting to the fire.

“I have requested the assistance of the competent American authorities for the investigation and evaluation of the management of the recent fires,” he said in a written statement.

The US government responded to his request and is immediately sending a ten-member team of experts to the island as a first step. They have expertise and experience in investigating similar disasters in the US and internationally.

“At the end of their mission, they will submit a report to me,” the president said.

The reports issued were drawn up by the Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, Forestry Department and Police, on the fire that swept mountain villages in the Limassol district on July 23.

“Fulfilling the promise I made to the Cypriot people, and in the context of transparency and accountability, the reports submitted to me by the competent services on the devastating fire in the Limassol district are being made public,” Christodoulides added.

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