Cypriot authorities investigate illegal dump as possible cause of fire near Tsada village

The fire that broke out on Sunday, August 17, between the villages of Tsada and Kili (Paphos district), has become the subject of a separate investigation: authorities are examining the version that an illegal landfill nearby could have been the cause of the incident. This was reported by local media, citing competent services.

According to the fire service, the blaze started at around 15:24 in the bed of a dried-up stream stretching from Tremithousa towards Tsada and Kili. Due to dry vegetation and gusty winds, the flames approached houses within minutes. Ground forces from across the island and aircraft were deployed to fight the fire: nine aerial units operated directly on the fire, while another 13 were kept in reserve. Coordination was carried out at the level of the Paphos district administration with the involvement of the head of the operations center. By Sunday evening, the fire was close to being contained.

For safety reasons, civil defense carried out a partial, preventive evacuation of 25 houses in Tsada; another resident, who refused to leave, was evacuated by force. The threat to residential buildings was lifted thanks to the rapid deployment of ground units and aerial support. The main Paphos–Polis road was initially closed, but later reopened; the road to Kili remained closed for some time.

Investigators are focusing on the illegal dump version: such sites regularly become “ignition points” for summer fires in Cyprus. Earlier, authorities and experts admitted the scale of the problem: only in the Paphos district there are about 540 illegal waste sites, and they often serve as a starting point for fires during the hot and dry season. At the national level, relevant agencies have pointed to hundreds of uncontrolled dumps, often located near forests and Natura 2000 areas, which increases risks for people and ecosystems.

Context: in recent weeks, Paphos has already faced similar incidents. For example, on July 24, a fire at a dump in Ayia Marinouda, fueled by winds, spread beyond the landfill into wild vegetation before being brought under control. This once again sparked debate about the need for stricter oversight and faster reclamation of unauthorized waste sites.

Final conclusions about the causes of the Tsada fire will be made after the fire is completely extinguished and expert examinations are carried out on site. But already now the authorities are signaling their intention to more actively hold accountable those who create illegal dumps and thereby endanger the safety of entire communities.