Mount Vesuvius fire: Is the wildfire on Naples volcano in Italy still blazing - as all hiking trails closed, is Pompeii open?
Firefighters are tackling a huge blaze on Mount Vesuvius, a dormant volcano in Naples, Italy.
The wildfire on Mount Vesuvius, close to Naples, broke out a few days ago and by Saturday afternoon had stretched to about 3km (1.9 miles) wide, destroying hundreds of hectares of woodland and killing wild animals. Thick smoke could be seen from Pompeii and Naples.
Tourist trails have been closed while firefighters work to contain France’s biggest wildfire since 1949. Drones were being used to monitor the spread of the fire, the national fire service said. The operation has been complicated by the latest heatwave.
Vesuvius national park authorities said the volcano’s trail network had been closed for safety reasons and to facilitate firefighting and clean-up operations in the areas affected. Pompeii’s archaeological park remains open to the public.
The fire has mainly affected the Terzigno pine forest as well as woodlands close to the small towns of Trecase, Ercolano and Ottaviano at the foot of the volcano. The Campania region, where Mount Vesuvius is located, has been experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 36°C (97°F) today.
This heatwave, combined with dry vegetation, has exacerbated the wildfire risk. Francesco Ranieri, the mayor of Terzigno, told Italian media the situation on Saturday night was “very critical” although the efforts of firefighters ensured the flames did not reach any homes.
The cause of the fire has not been identified although there are strong suspicions that it was arson, with Ranieri suggesting there may be “a criminal hand” behind it. Firefighters in France’s southern Aude region, meanwhile, have managed to contain a massive wildfire, which killed one person and injured several others.