At least 100 square kilometres was razed in a wine-producing region north of the city of Limassol after the blaze broke out on Wednesday, with several fronts still active on Thursday.
Two people were found dead in a burned-out vehicle, trapped by the fire. At least 10 people were injured, two of them seriously, police said.
As dawn broke, a red hue hung over Limassol, a sprawling coastal city where development in recent years has spilled over to its surrounding mountains. Firefighting aircraft were redeployed at first light after darkness forced a pause.
Authorities said it was too early to give a precise account of damage, or what started the fire.
"We are talking about very strong winds, with gusts, which were constantly interchanging," fire brigade spokesperson Andreas Kettis said.
Temperatures on the island peaked at 43C on Wednesday, triggering an amber weather alert. A new amber warning was in place on Thursday, with highs forecast to hit 44C - the hottest of the year so far.
Cyprus has requested help through the European Union's civil protection mechanism, with Spain expected to send two aircraft on Thursday, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. Jordan has also pledged assistance.
Cyprus has struggled with a protracted drought, pushing scarce water resources to critically low levels. The affected area sits just north of Cyprus's Kouris reservoir, the island's largest. It was at just 15.5 per cent of its capacity on Wednesday.
15°C