Tala fire brought under control (updated)

A fire near the village of Tala, in Paphos, burned around eight hectares of dry grass, wild vegetation, and trees, the fire service said on Friday.

The fire broke out at around 3.50pm near a residential area and was brought under control about two hours later.

Fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis said forces were mopping up and ensuring there were no re-ignitions.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, he said.

Fanned by strong winds, the fire had approached a residential area but firefighters aided by three aircraft — one helicopter and two airplanes — managed to bring it under control.