Latest news with #ItaloGiulivo
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Italy's Mount Vesuvius closed to tourists over wildfire
TERZIGNO, Italy - Italian firefighters and the army on Sunday tackled a wildfire on the flanks of Mount Vesuvius, with all hiking routes up the volcano near Naples closed to tourists. The national fire service said it had 12 teams on the ground and six Canadair planes fighting the blaze, which has torn through the national park in southern Italy since Friday. "The fire-fighting continues ceaselessly on three fronts", the Campania Region said in a statement. The army created a fire break and reinforcement firefighters were brought in from other areas of Italy, while onsite teams used drones to better monitor the spread of the fire, the region and fire service said. The park's head Raffaele de Luca said the area affected covered some 500 hectares. "For safety reasons and to facilitate firefighting and cleanup operations in the affected areas, all activities along the Vesuvius National Park trail network are suspended until further notice," the park said in a statement Saturday. Nearly 620,000 people visited the crater of the active volcano in 2024, according to the park. The smoke from the fire could be seen from the Pompeii archeological site, which was buried by Vesuvius' eruption during Roman times. The site, however, remained open to tourists. Experts say European countries are becoming ever more vulnerable to wildfires due to intensifying summer heatwaves linked to global warming. On Mount Vesuvius, "the firefighting efforts are particularly delicate due to both the weather conditions -- high temperatures and wind -- and the pine needles, which contribute to the spread of the flames," said Italo Giulivo, head of the region's civil protection department. Italy's biggest agricultural association Coldiretti said the fires were "an enormous disaster" for vineyards and farms in an area well known for its wine, apricots and tomatoes.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
At least one dead as wildfires spread across Europe with Mount Vesuvius closed in Italy & French vineyards turned to ash
AT LEAST one person has died as terrifying wildfires sweep across Greece and spread across Europe. Up to 16,000 acres of land has been decimated in the Keratea region, south of Athens, in the latest fires ripping through the Mediterranean. 10 Flames and smoke rise from burning trees while firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish the fires near the Komotini, Greece Credit: Getty 10 A terrifying fire has ripped along the eastern slope of Mount Vesuvius, within the National Park Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 In Portugal, people have been seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burning patch of grass during a forest fire in Sao Pedro e Santa Maria, Trancoso Credit: EPA 10 Much of southern France's vineyards were left scorched alongside homes Credit: AFP An elderly man was found dead inside his bed by firefighters who have been tirelessly battling against the numerous blazes. This is now the third consecutive day of wildfires in the region, according to the National Observatory in Athens. They have warned high winds have been fanning the flames will persist until at least Monday. More than 260 firefighters with nearly 80 fire engines along with 12 aircraft were deployed near Keratea. read more in wildfires DEADLY INFERNO At least 17 killed in Turkey wildfires as thousands flee their homes Dimitris Loukas, mayor of the city of nearby Lavrio, said the Keratea fire destroyed dozens of homes, agriculture and forest land. Over in Italy, brave firefighters tackled a wildfire which was quickly heading towards Mount Vesuvius National Park. Officials ordered all the hiking routes up the volcano near Naples were immediately closed to tourists as a precaution. Billowing clouds of smoke could be seen from the Pompeii archeological site. The national fire service said 12 teams have been on the ground alongside six Canadair planes to fight the blaze since August 8. Officials have voiced concerns over the fires heading towards Mount Vesuvius due to its location. France fires scorch area 'larger than Paris' as 'unprecedented' blaze kills 1 and rips through idyllic villages Italo Giulivo, head of the region's civil protection department, said: "The firefighting efforts are particularly delicate due to both the weather conditions -- high temperatures and wind -- and the pine needles, which contribute to the spread of the flames." Italy's biggest agricultural association Coldiretti added that the fires were "an enormous disaster" for vineyards and farms. The local prosecutors' office has opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. France was also hit with soaring flames over the weekend. Around 1,400 firefighters were deployed Saturday in the southern Aude region to prevent the country's largest wildfire in decades from reemerging. Locals have been slowly returning to their homes since Thursday after 62 square miles of land was scorched across the week. Aude prefect Christian Pouget announced the worst hit areas were the popular vineyards in the area. Pictures show the devastating aftermath with the wineries reduced to piles of ash. 10 A firefighting helicopter sprays water over a burnt area following a wildfire in Palaia Fokaia, Greece Credit: AFP 10 Dozens of blazes have erupted in Greece Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 A plane drops water over a fire that broke in Galicia, northwestern Spain Credit: EPA And with Monday forecast to be the "hottest day nationwide", according to national weather service Meteo France, further disruptions are expected. In Portugal, people have been seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burning patch of grass during a forest fire in Sao Pedro e Santa Maria, Trancoso. The fire in Trancoso caused officials to mobilise eight helicopters and more than 300 firefighters. The most deadly of the European fires have come from Turkey. At least 17 people have been killed in the apocalyptic wildfires as record-breaking 50C heat and howling winds fuel devastation across the eastern Mediterranean. The infernos have forced more than 3,500 residents to flee their homes, with vast swathes of forest reduced to ash. 10 Over in Italy, brave firefighters tackled a wildfire which was quickly heading towards Mount Vesuvius National Park Credit: AFP 10 A fire escalates during the wildfires in Anavyssos, Greece Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
