100 Wildfires on Sicily – Sardinia Also Battles Flames

More than 100 wildfires have demanded the attention of emergency services across Sicily, with the area around Catania being especially hard-hit. The flames have also threatened several residential areas on the neighboring island of Sardinia. Firefighters, civil protection units, and forestry authorities have been engaged in continuous efforts to control the blazes, with some fires being brought under control only to reignite. The situation was particularly critical in Castronovo di Sicilia, in the province of Palermo, and remained tense in the province of Enna, where fires approached residential areas. In the hinterland of Agrigento, a fire destroyed approximately 250 hectares of state forest and Mediterranean scrub. Simultaneously, the situation escalated on Sardinia, where emergency crews, supported by helicopters and water-bombing aircraft, have been battling blazes since Monday afternoon. In Oniferi, province of Nuoro, fires reached the edge of the town, posing a threat to homes. Additional resources, including Super Puma helicopters and Canadair water-bombing planes, have been deployed from Olbia to combat the worsening fires across both islands, which are currently experiencing a severe heatwave.