Firefighters in Paphos bring latest wildfire under control amid strong winds (Updated)

Firefighters have brought under control a fire that broke out shortly before noon in the Paphos district, between the communities of Tsada and Kallepia.

“The fire is under control. The perimeter is being secured by ground forces. It burned a total area of about 2 hectares of dry grass, wild vegetation and a number of trees,” according to Fire Service spokesman, Andreas Kettis

Earlier, Kettis said in a Tweet that strong winds blowing in the area helped the fire spread in an area that was difficult to reach due to the tricky terrain.

A total of seven fire engines have been mobilised to extinguish the fire, both from the Paphos District and the Game Fund, while a bulldozer has also been sent to the area.

A total of three firefighting aircraft were called in to deal with the fire.

The causes of the blaze are being investigated in cooperation with the police.

Meanwhile, a forest fire that broke in the early hours of Sunday in an area of Kelia in the Larnaca district, was brought under control earlier on Sunday morning.

A statement from the Forestry Department said that “around 06.30 in the morning of Sunday, October 2, a fire broke out in an area of the community of Kelia. The intervention of the forest firefighting forces was immediate, resulting in the fire being brought under full control two hours later, having burnt an area of two hectares of reed fields”.

Seven Forestry Department personnel with three fire engines, three Fire Department personnel with one fire engine and a private excavator participated in the extinguishing operation.

Firefighting forces remain in the area to deal with possible reignition.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.