Fire in the Gran Sasso Park, 200 hectares of forest in smoke

They burn hectares of woods around L'Aquila, also in the territory of  the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. The fire extinguishing operations in Arischia and Pizzoli (L'Aquila) - which has been active since yesterday - resumed at dawn, where 200 hectares of forest went up in smoke . The air fleet involved in the operations consists of 4 canadairs plus the regional helicopter. The fire is almost certainly painful. The Carabinieri would have found triggers in the pine forest. Hypotheses and potential tests are being examined by the military and the Fire Brigade who will make a report to be delivered to the prosecutor of the Aquila Republic.

Four #Canadair, a helicopter and #vigilidelfuoco teams at work to put out a vast forest fire that has been affecting Mount Omo since yesterday afternoon in Arischia (AQ) [13:00 # 31st July] pic.twitter.com/aoiXWqlKaj

Today a new front has always opened in L'Aquila, in the hamlet of Cansatessa. The fire is threatening the populous neighborhood of Pettino in L'Aquila. Firefighters and Civil Protection units intervened on the spot, having difficulty reaching the fire front located on the coast at the top of the mountain. Flames tens of meters high are visible from the valley. The firefighters are climbing with four vehicles equipped at altitude to try to get to the front from below. Meanwhile, the discharges of the Canadair continue.

The high temperatures of these days have also fueled fires in other regions, such as Sicily and Sardinia . A fire of vast proportions devastated the Monte Cofano Reserve in the Trapani area. The stake is probably painful, because the flames, which enveloped the mountain in the night, started from several points, on the San Vito Lo Capo side. The mayor of Custonaci Giuseppe Morfino, speaks of "criminal action".

Yesterday twenty-one fires broke out throughout Sardinia, in six cases the intervention of the air vehicles of the regional fleet was necessary. One of the most serious fires developed in Pranu Zippiri, in the Municipality of Uta, in the hinterland of Cagliari, not too far from the prison. The flames quickly developed and surrounded some country houses, farmhouses used by breeders and farms.

Coldiretti, 10 years to rebuild scorched earth  - To restore the Mediterranean scrub areas reduced to ashes by fire it will take at least 10 years, with damage to the environment, economy, work and tourism. This is what Coldiretti says. If the outbreak of the flames is favored by the anomalous climate, it is precisely the action of the arsonists with 60% of the fires that is estimated to be caused voluntarily, to worry, Coldiretti underlines. A dramatic cost that Italy is forced to face because the work of prevention, surveillance and above all environmental education on the value of a heritage determined for biodiversity and for the hydrogeological stability of the territory has been lacking. The African heat and drought, according to an analysis by Coldiretti on Effis data, help arsonists with more than 2 bonfires a day from north to south of the Peninsula since the beginning of summer. A serious situation in a 2020 that ranks as the hottest second half since 1800 with temperatures 1.1 degrees higher than the average.