Economy Montana’s housing crisis is a warning for older homeowners across the country Eliza Relman 2024-07-10T09:56:03Z Share icon An curved arrow pointing right. Share Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter LinkedIn … Read more
Primary pupils were sent home early on Friday, as soaring temperatures reached a high of 45 degrees Celsius, and most public schools are not well equipped to handle the scorching heat. The Ministry of Education ordered all state schools to close early after a red alert was jointly issued by the Health Ministry, the Labour … Read more
Firefighting forces are currently battling wildfires in the communities of Xyliatos and Gourri. The fire in Xyliatos broke out at 15:00 while the fire in Gourri started at 13:54. Ground and aerial forces are working to extinguish both fires, which are ongoing. In addition, the Fire Service is supporting firefighting efforts on the Anthoupoli – Palechori road in the area of Agia Koroni.
Fact: The primary focus of the exercise was to assess the effectiveness of the national firefighting strategy ‘Hephaestus’ for large forest fire suppression.
The Green Agenda Cyprus Summit highlighted the vision and actions necessary for the green transition of the Cypriot economy. Hellenic Bank is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has set clear goals and indicators to reduce its environmental footprint. The bank offers specialized green products to combat climate change and improve energy efficiency. Cyprus Agriculture Minister introduced a pilot program for green roofs, and the Energy Minister expressed caution regarding hydrogen usage. European Commissioner for Climate Action emphasized Cyprus’ potential in renewable energy and the importance of investments in sustainable transport. European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety highlighted the health impacts of the climate crisis, including heatwaves and air pollution.
The European Commission will reinforce Cyprus’ firefighting fleet with two aircraft this summer, amid increased risks of forest fires.
The European Commission will provide Cyprus with two light aircraft to enhance its firefighting capabilities this summer due to the increased wildfire risks in the Southeastern Mediterranean region. The Air Tractor models will be leased by Cyprus, with costs covered by the EU through the RescEU mechanism. The aircraft will be available for deployment to other EU countries if necessary. RescEU activations have increased significantly in recent years, with Cyprus activating the mechanism eight times since 2016. Wildfires have affected 500 million hectares globally in 2023, with Greece, Spain, and Italy being the hardest hit. The focus this year is on strengthening firefighting personnel, with additional firefighters being sent to France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain for the third consecutive summer from various EU countries.
Two major wildfires have already occurred in Cyprus, one due to mishandling of explosives and the other for unknown reasons. Despite the country’s vulnerability to wildfires due to its dry climate, efforts to acquire aerial firefighting assets have been unsuccessful. Assistance from neighbouring countries, such as Jordan, has been requested during emergencies. The lack of proper firefighting resources has resulted in devastating consequences, with firefighters losing their lives and significant areas of land being burned. The country faces a state of neglect and lack of progress in crucial projects.
First major wildfires of the season have spread to roughly 10,000 hectares across Western Canada. Evacuation orders issued for communities in British Columbia due to poor air quality. Residents in Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nations evacuated as blaze nearly doubled in size. Fire in Fort McMurray, an oil hub, was tamed by favorable weather. Alberta recorded 43 active fires, including one near Fort McMurray. Fire started by fallen tree on power line. Evacuation alerts in place for several communities as precaution. Smoke in Fort McMurray from fires in British Columbia. Environment Canada issued special air quality statement for several provinces. Canada warned of “catastrophic” wildfire season ahead due to warm winter and ongoing drought.
Fact: The European parliament greenlighted a Nature Restoration Law in February 2024, setting a target to restore at least 20% of Europe’s land and sea area by 2030.