“This fire burned everything in its path. It was a ghost fire,” said Savvas Iezekiel, head of the forestry department, speaking a day after the flames were finally contained.

“It left behind black earth, destruction, and two deaths. Nobody feels well after this.”

The wildfire, which swept through several villages in the Limassol district, has now been described as one of the most intense Cyprus has ever faced. Iezekiel, who has worked in fire management for 46 years, said he had never seen anything like it.

“In one hour, it was burning through 10 to 11 square kilometres. Flames were 20 to 30 metres high. It had no pattern. One moment it was in a village, minutes later it was climbing the next mountain,” he told the Cyprus News Agency.

He stressed that firefighters fought the blaze with all they had, day and night, without pause.

“From the first moment until Thursday evening, the fire didn’t stop. Neither did we. But the heat was so high we couldn’t even get within 150 metres in some cases.”

According to the forestry department, the fire was burning at temperatures estimated between 800 and 1,200 degrees Celsius.

“That is not something any firefighting team in the world can just stop,” said Iezekiel.

“Your skin burns at close range. We couldn’t physically bear the heat load.”

Special tactics were used to slow the flames, including firebreaks and backfires. But conditions were against them. Strong winds, dry air, and land left parched by two years of low rainfall allowed the fire to spread at terrifying speed.

“The ground itself was dry enough to catch fire. With high winds and hot embers flying, it jumped from place to place. It was a perfect storm,” he said.

“Every hour, it advanced over 10 square kilometres.”

Iezekiel warned that the size of the flames required a safety distance five times their height.

“If a fire is 30 metres high, you need to be at least 150 metres away to survive. A breath of air above 60C for just seconds can melt your internal organs,” he explained.

While some residents have expressed anger over the destruction, Iezekiel defended the frontline crews.

“People are hurt, they’ve lost their homes, their land. But let’s also give credit to those who stood inside the fire for two days, doing their best to stop it,” he said.

He added that none of the crews took the situation lightly.

“We were there, inside black fields, wearing smoke. Nobody wanted to be there. Nobody is proud of this loss. But we did what we could.”

Asked if he believed the fire was started on purpose, Iezekiel said signs point to arson.

“From what I’ve heard from the fire chief and others, I believe it was intentional,” he said. “On Saturday alone, there were three more fires in a row.”

The forestry department played a major part in controlling the fire, he confirmed. But he reminded the public that its role differs from the Fire Service.

“We have different training, different tools. But we worked side by side throughout.”

Dr Iezekiel closed with a strong appeal to the public.

“Fires are not a joke. One day, a fire will come that is stronger than anything Cyprus can fight,” he warned.

“That happened in the village of Malia. Strong winds, dry fuel, and by the time we arrived, it was already too late.”

Authorities are now investigating the cause of the fire, while residents begin counting the cost of what many describe as a national disaster.