Heat wave in Italy causes massive wildfires and evacuation
Wildfires in Italy (Getty Images)
Extreme heatwave in Italy has led to the closure of numerous airports, with thousands of residents and tourists being evacuated. Travelers have been warned of danger in Sicily due to the ongoing wildfires, reported SchengenVisaInfo.com.
Wildfires on the Italian island of Sicily have spread rapidly due to strong winds, endangering the lives of both residents and tourists in the region. Over the past weeks, several airports in the area had to be closed as the fires raged dangerously close.
Last week, Palermo airport was shut down as three nearby villages were engulfed in the wildfires. The terminal building of Catania airport was also partially closed due to fire damage, raising concerns about significant economic losses for the tourism industry.
Photo: The fires are spreading from forests to some settlements (Getty Images)
This summer, the island experienced a sharp rise in temperatures, reaching record highs. Catania recently recorded a scorching 47.6 degrees Celsius.
Local media reported that firefighters managed to identify and extinguish large wildfire outbreaks, but the flames around Palermo, Messina, and Catania proved difficult to contain.
Unfortunately, three people died in the region due to evacuation complications. The material damage have also been substantial, with the 15th-century Santa Maria di Gersu church in Palermo being consumed by the fires, resulting in approximately 260 million euros in damages, according to local authorities.
"People cannot breathe from how polluted and hot air is, they are being forced on the street because their homes are byrning," one of the locals said.
Photo: Wildfires have caused €260 million in damage in Sicily alone (Getty Images)
The fires in Italy coincide with a surge in tourism to the country. Travelers have been warned about the dangers posed by wildfires in Sicily.
Julia Simpson, the President and CEO of WTTC confirmed that travel and tourism is one of the main contributors to the economic growth in Italy.
“The sector’s strong recovery is great news for jobs and prosperity across Italy as international visitors return. Over the next ten years, we expect tourism to grow to represent 12 per cent of the Italian GDP,” Simpson stated.
However, the ongoing fires could lead to substantial losses for the country.
July 2023 has been the hottest month on record, and scientists believe it may be the warmest in the last 120,000 years on the planet.
Read more about the impact of the record-breaking heat on tourists in Europe.
