Fires: the woods around L'aquila burn, unbreathable air in the city

Seven Canadians, three helicopters, 80 firefighters, 40 soldiers of the IX Alpine Regiment, 70 civil protection volunteers, 30 municipal employees and 4 municipal police patrols in action since this morning on the fires that are affecting the western part of L'Aquila and that, despite being monitored and controlled, they cause concern among operators and citizens. Census of the work teams on the front is the local crisis unit of the firefighters of the Teramo and L 'Aquila commands. The Municipality has surveyed, through the Coc (Municipal Operational Center) 13 families close to the fire line that could be moved to temporary housing in the event of a real threat to housing.
To take stock of the situation is the mayor of L'Aquila, Pierluigi Biondi, who has just made a first inspection in Cansatessa, and then went to the regional command of the Fire Brigade. "The energies in the field are extraordinary and the mobilization is wide and heartfelt. The municipal employees from 6 have resumed working on the fire line - explains the mayor - while we have completed the census of families who live close to the critical points in case it turns out an evacuation is necessary. Again we are ready to intervene with replacement homes. The effort is enormous and the contact with the operating rooms of the Fire Brigade, the Region and the Prefecture is constant. Unfortunately the climatic conditions and the impervious territory do not favor the mitigation of the danger ".

" In the Arischia fire, the fire is still high, while in the Cansatessa area the flames are being contained thanks to a fire line , along the entire front, and the air vehicles - said Silvio Liberatore, director of the Civil Protection of the Region Abruzzo. The fires are triggered in the high areas of the mountains, therefore the extinguishing is taking place mainly from the air, only the flames could be contained from the ground, keeping them away from the houses and the streets. Numerous groups of Civil Protection Volunteers enabled they are working together with us, the Army and Firefighters and Forestry Carabiners at the shutdown. The latter are investigating the origin of the two fires. We ask private citizens not to venture into the woods without registering in the UCL (Control Unit Local) of the firefighters in Cansatessa. It is dangerous for themselves and for others ", concludes Liberatore.

Investigations are underway by the Forestry Carabinieri of L'Aquila on the fires that broke out in the hamlets of Arischia and Cansatessa. The hypothesis of triggers of malicious origin, due to the methods and times of propagation of the flames, is taking hold, but there is no confirmation from investigators and Regional Civil Protection, which maintain maximum confidentiality. The fire on both fronts, Arischia and Cansatessa, started in the hottest hours of the day, from above and in such positions that the flames could exploit the channeling effect of the valleys, helped to spread by the incessant wind, is emphasized.