Cyprus’ Scientific and Technical Chamber (Etek) has evaluated 689 of the 714 reports on properties damaged and lost in the July 23 wildfire in Limassol, and 111 owners have already been called to sign compensation contracts, MPs heard on Thursday.

Interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia, who was present at the joint session of the House agriculture, environment, and interior committees that ministry services are working to complete the remaining compensation procedures within the next two weeks.

“Priority was given to buildings that are permanent residences and have suffered partial destruction. Evaluations were then carried out for the rest of the buildings,” Elia said.

Once Etek completes a report, it is sent to the commission set up at the Limassol district administration to be checked, while the Limassol district organisation (EOA) makes sure all permits are in order.

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After this process, property owners are invited to sign a contract of acceptance for the estimated compensation, and payments follow.

Elia said 226 owners have been requested to submit additional details about their properties. He added that 104 buildings did not have permits and owners need to initiate procedures to obtain them.

Another 69 cases, according to Elia, fall under compensation procedures run by other ministries and services, while 29 separate cases lie outside the compensation framework.

For households whose homes were rendered uninhabitable, the state has provided a three-month rental allowance. Ninety-six households have received a total of about €266,000 in rent support.

In the meantime, the interior ministry is promoting works to protect communities from future natural disasters.

The cabinet recently approved €2.1 million to be paid out over the coming weeks to 16 clusters of communities across Cyprus. This money is to be used to clear abandoned agricultural land around villages for fire protection. Elia said this amount was over and above the €1 million allocated for this purpose in 2025.

The fire broke out on July 23, and burned an area of 124 square kilometres.

No fewer than 17 villages in the mountains above Limassol were impacted, with 13 of those villages suffering “severe” losses to property.

A total of 706 buildings succumbed to the flames – 335 were completely destroyed and 371 partially. Among them were 532 homes, 109 warehouses, 29 business establishments and 36 other constructions.

Over 775 farms also suffered total or partial loss of livestock and cultivations.