Italy's fleet of Canadair aircraft
were again at work on Tuesday, coordinated by the Civil
Protection Department, to fight forest fires that have been
burning in many parts of Italy over the last few days.
Thirty-seven requests for air assistance were received and
the situation is especially serious in southern Italy.
A wildfire raged on Mt Vesuvius on a front of more than two
kilometres with fire services saying "it looks like an eruption"
of the dormant volcano overlooking Naples.
Two restaurants and some homes had to be evacuated at nearby
Torre del Greco as Legambiente environmental group said "it
smells of corruption", alluding to arson for profit.
The mayor of Vesuvius town Ottaviano, Luca Capasso, said
"it's a national emergency".
A blaze that broke out yesterday near Enna in Sicily is under
control but the Catania-Palermo rail line was suspended due to
fires.
Popular television entertainer Rosario Fiorello said via
Facebook that the area of Messina "seems like Rome set alight by
Nero".
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said forest fires in the area of
the capital were almost four times higher than last year.
"We have discussed the measures to adopt to combat this
emergency at the prefect's office," said Raggi.
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