Cyprus' government spokesman says aircraft from Jordan, Israel and Spain are on their way to help battle a huge wildfire that has claimed the lives of two people. The flames have scorched more than 120 square kilometers or 46 square miles of forested hillsides.

At least 120 square kilometres of land were scorched in one of the largest wildfires in Cyprus' history. The remains of two people were discovered in a charred vehicle on a main road between hilltop villages affected by the blaze.

Firefighters in Cyprus were battling on Wednesday to contain a huge wildfire forcing the evacuation of at least four villages on the first day of a heatwave which sent temperatures soaring.