Disasters & Accidents

Italy dispatches army to Calabria as fires spread

Rome, Aug 11 (EFE).- Wildfires in southern Italy continued to spread relentlessly, especially in Sicily where some residents had to be evacuated, while the army was dispatched to Calabria to aid in firefighting efforts.

Throughout Tuesday night, fire crews battled the flames in the Palermo province in Sicily, where several towns dotting the Madonie area had to be evacuated under the threat of 34 active fires.

The president of the Sicily region Nello Musumeci said Wednesday he will ask the government to declare a state of emergency.

Authorities are concerned by the situation in Calabria, where the army’s assistance was needed to fight fires mostly spreading across the Reggio Calabria province.

The fire, which has been out of control for days, continues to scorch fields and forests in the San Luca municipality and is threatening to stretch into the ancient beech forests, a Unesco World Heritage site.

Calabria regional authorities have called for more fire fighting aircrafts, “otherwise the whole park will burn, resulting in an unprecedented catastrophe,” they warned.

Some 13 fires were reported in Sardinia on Tuesday, in the localities of Arzana, Santu Lussurgiu, Bottidda, Borore, Orroli, and Serri. EFE

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