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Greece, UK and Israel help tackle deadly forest fire in Cyprus Second firefighter dies tackling Cyprus forest fires
(about 4 hours later)
Aircraft from Greece, the UK and Israel have joined efforts in Cyprus to tackle one of the country's largest forest fires in years. A second firefighter has died in Cyprus from injuries sustained while trying to tackle one of the island's biggest forest fires in years.
The blaze, in the Troodos mountain region, has been spread by strong winds and high temperatures. Marios Aristotelous, 44, was in a vehicle which overturned, also earlier killing Andreas Sofocleous, 49.
The Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, said damage caused by the fire was a tragedy for rural communities. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades expressed his "great sorrow".
One firefighter died after being crushed when his truck overturned. Greece, the UK and Israel have contributed aircraft to fight the blaze raging in the Troodos mountains. France and Italy are expected to do so too.
It was the first fatality among firefighters for years in Cyprus, which suffers frequent forest fires during its hot summer months. Cypriot police have warned holidaymakers that Canadair planes will be refilling with water in the resort area of Larnaca Bay.
The operation to battle the fire is due to continue on Tuesday morning, but most of it is under control. 'Great effort'
The water-dropping planes resumed their efforts to quench the blaze on Tuesday morning, the Cyprus Mail quoted Forestry Department spokesman Andreas Christou as saying.
"Forces are deployed around the perimeter of the fire," he said.
"The main fronts [of the fire] are active, but because there is no wind we are making a great effort to extinguish the fronts," he said - though thick smoke was complicating the task.
Some 10 sq km (3.9 sq miles) of forest have burned so far, the department estimated. Police suspect it was started by a 12-year-old boy playing with a cigarette lighter.
Cyprus frequently suffers forest fires during its hot summer months, but these are believed to be the first firefighter deaths for years.
President Anastasiades said the state would "stand by" the relatives of those killed.