A deadly wildfire has swept through southern Cyprus, leaving two people dead inside their vehicle as temperatures soared to extreme levels. Authorities discovered the charred remains in a burned-out car in the village of Malia, part of the Limassol district, where the blaze erupted on Wednesday.
While officials have yet to confirm the victims’ identities, local reports suggest the car belonged to a missing 77-year-old woman, believed to have been traveling with her husband. The inferno has also injured more than a dozen people, destroyed homes, and scorched approximately 100 square kilometers of land.
Firefighters, numbering over 250, have struggled to contain the flames, which have been fueled by strong winds and relentless heat. The country’s meteorological service has issued warnings of temperatures reaching 44°C (111°F) in inland regions, exacerbating the crisis.
Andreas Kettis, a spokesperson for Cyprus’s fire service, stated that while the main fire fronts are under control, sporadic flare-ups continue to pose risks. The disaster has left several communities without power, forcing residents to endure the extreme heat without air conditioning.
One witness, Antonis Christou from the village of Kandou, described the terrifying scene: “The mountains and valleys were engulfed in flames. It was heartbreaking—people lost everything.”
To bolster firefighting efforts, Cyprus has sought international assistance through the EU’s civil protection mechanism. Spain is expected to dispatch two firefighting aircraft, while Jordan has placed two on standby. Authorities are also investigating reports that the fire may have been deliberately set.
This summer, southern Europe has been gripped by intense heatwaves, with wildfires erupting in Greece, Turkey, and Spain. Cyprus, already suffering from drought, faces recurring wildfires during its scorching summers. A similar tragedy in 2021 claimed the lives of four farm workers in the same region.
As the crisis unfolds, neighboring nations are stepping in to help, but the devastation serves as a grim reminder of the escalating threat posed by extreme weather.
