'A disaster without precedent': Sardinia wildfires ravage west of Italian island
More than 1,000 people were forced to flee and some 20,000 hectares destroyed as wildfires swept the Italian island of Sardinia for three days straight.
"It's a disaster without precedent," the island's governor Christian Solinas said, as hot southwesterly winds complicated the efforts to put out blazes raging in the west of the island and the region declared a state of emergency.
Nearly 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes over the weekend, including residents of a care home, according to Ansa news agency.
Frightened tourists were among those fleeing the seaside village of Porto Alabe.
Canadair planes could be seen collecting water off the coast of Porto Alabe, before flying low over beachfront properties and emptying it over the blazing vegetation just behind them.
#Incendi #Sardegna, senza pause l'attività dei #vigilidelfuoco nella provincia di #Oristano: operative 60 unità a terra, col supporto aereo di 5 #canadair. Meccanismo Europeo #protezionecivile attivato da @DPCgov: inviati 4 velivoli da Grecia e Francia #26luglio pic.twitter.com/piSh3hBwy6
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) July 26, 2021
The flames are believed to have broken out near the village of Bonarcado in the province of Oristano on Friday when a car caught fire in a traffic accident. Winds and hot, dry conditions meant that the fire rapidly spread inland and then down towards the coast.
About 20,000 hectares of vegetation had gone up in flames, with properties damaged and animals killed, Solinas said.
Firefighting aircraft from France and Greece arrived in Italy on Sunday following an appeal for help in taming the fires.
Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said that the civil protection agency had appealed for planes from other European countries.
A vast area in Oristano province was "on its knees due to the devastating fire", he said.
At the request of 🇮🇹 authorities, due to #wildfires at #Sardinia, we have activated the #EUCivPro Mechanism.
🇫🇷 and 🇬🇷 have already offered assistance and are sending their planes to help put down the devastating🔥.#EUSolidarity #SrongerTogether https://t.co/tXLtoHEXFX
— Janez Lenarčič (@JanezLenarcic) July 25, 2021
By Monday morning the fire danger level remained "high", said the civil protection agency, which issued a warning for swathes of the central- and north-western coast.
About 7,500 emergency workers, including members of Italy's forest police and the Red Cross, were helping evacuees and those at risk, the fire service said.
Senza sosta il lavoro dei #vigilidelfuoco a #Oristano per gli incendi boschivi: a Cuglieri e Santa Caterina operano 10 squadre a terra e 8 #canadair. A Scano di Montiferro squadre schierate a protezione del centro abitato [#25luglio 16:30] pic.twitter.com/738dBzRAPQ
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) July 25, 2021
Solinas said it was too early to know the extent of the destruction but he would ask the government to allocate recovery fund money for reforestation.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is following the situation and sent his "full solidarity to everyone affected and support for all those tirelessly doing their best in the rescue efforts", his office said in a statement.
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"It's a disaster without precedent," the island's governor Christian Solinas said, as hot southwesterly winds complicated the efforts to put out blazes raging in the west of the island and the region declared a state of emergency.
Nearly 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes over the weekend, including residents of a care home, according to Ansa news agency.
Frightened tourists were among those fleeing the seaside village of Porto Alabe.
Canadair planes could be seen collecting water off the coast of Porto Alabe, before flying low over beachfront properties and emptying it over the blazing vegetation just behind them.
#Incendi #Sardegna, senza pause l'attività dei #vigilidelfuoco nella provincia di #Oristano: operative 60 unità a terra, col supporto aereo di 5 #canadair. Meccanismo Europeo #protezionecivile attivato da @DPCgov: inviati 4 velivoli da Grecia e Francia #26luglio pic.twitter.com/piSh3hBwy6
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) July 26, 2021
The flames are believed to have broken out near the village of Bonarcado in the province of Oristano on Friday when a car caught fire in a traffic accident. Winds and hot, dry conditions meant that the fire rapidly spread inland and then down towards the coast.
About 20,000 hectares of vegetation had gone up in flames, with properties damaged and animals killed, Solinas said.
Firefighting aircraft from France and Greece arrived in Italy on Sunday following an appeal for help in taming the fires.
Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said that the civil protection agency had appealed for planes from other European countries.
A vast area in Oristano province was "on its knees due to the devastating fire", he said.
At the request of 🇮🇹 authorities, due to #wildfires at #Sardinia, we have activated the #EUCivPro Mechanism.
— Janez Lenarčič (@JanezLenarcic) July 25, 2021
🇫🇷 and 🇬🇷 have already offered assistance and are sending their planes to help put down the devastating🔥.#EUSolidarity #SrongerTogether https://t.co/tXLtoHEXFX
By Monday morning the fire danger level remained "high", said the civil protection agency, which issued a warning for swathes of the central- and north-western coast.
About 7,500 emergency workers, including members of Italy's forest police and the Red Cross, were helping evacuees and those at risk, the fire service said.
Senza sosta il lavoro dei #vigilidelfuoco a #Oristano per gli incendi boschivi: a Cuglieri e Santa Caterina operano 10 squadre a terra e 8 #canadair. A Scano di Montiferro squadre schierate a protezione del centro abitato [#25luglio 16:30] pic.twitter.com/738dBzRAPQ
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) July 25, 2021
Solinas said it was too early to know the extent of the destruction but he would ask the government to allocate recovery fund money for reforestation.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is following the situation and sent his "full solidarity to everyone affected and support for all those tirelessly doing their best in the rescue efforts", his office said in a statement.
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