The fire which broke out on Wednesday at a landfill in the Paphos district village of Marinouda caused a “huge ecological disaster”, Paphos district governor Charalambos Pittokopitis said on Thursday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said the fire, which was eventually brought under control shortly before midnight, caused “difficulties” for the fire brigade, due to the hilly nature of the area, the wild vegetation, the high temperatures, and the high winds.

Despite this, he said, “the good men of the fire brigade acted immediately, going above and beyond”.

He also called on the environment to “act on the issue” of smoke and other gases being emitted from the landfill site.

“It is the responsibility of all of us to take preventative measures” to prevent more fires, he added.

The fire had started in the Ayia Marinouda landfill and spread towards the nearby villages of Ayia Varvara, Nata, and Episkopi.

According to the CNA, some local residents had pointed the finger at other members of the public who “transport various useless objects, furniture, mattresses, and branches and burn them at Ayia Marinouda” as a potential cause of the fire.

The causes of the fire are expected to be investigated at a later stage.