Fire at landfill in occupied Koutsoventis

A fire broke out on the morning of September 5, 2026, at a landfill facility located in the occupied village of Koutsoventis, between Koutsoventis and Kythrea. The blaze affected an area of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 square meters. While the flames were reportedly surface-level rather than deep-seated, the incident has created a significant air quality problem, with toxic smoke drifting into the government-controlled areas of Nicosia.

Local authorities in the occupied areas, along with a private company providing machinery, have been working to extinguish the fire. Yilmaz Altunderim, director of the so-called Environmental Protection Department, confirmed that inspections conducted prior to the fire revealed serious shortcomings in waste management, specifically a failure to cover waste with the required layers of soil. Michalis Loizidis, co-chair of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Environment, noted that while the site was originally funded by the EU in 2012, its failure to operate correctly has led to recurring issues. Containment of the smoke emissions could take days or even weeks. Experts are calling for structural improvements, potential EU intervention, and the establishment of an early-warning gas monitoring system for both sides of the island.