Tourists Evacuated and Heritage Site at Risk as Wildfires Rage in Sicily: Travel Advisory Issued

Italy is at increased risk of heat-related deaths and fires due to the heatwave that has engulfed southern Europe.

Strong winds and arid weather conditions have caused wildfires to rage across the Italian Island of Sicily.

Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate due to the fires, and public transport was severely disrupted.

The airport that services the capital of the island, Palermo, had to close its doors early Tuesday morning due to fires nearby.

Fires are still burning in other parts of the island including the famous archaeological park of Segesta.

Sicily is sweltering in scorching temperatures and creeping closer to the European record set two years ago.

Sicily wildfires - 'People cannot breathe'

Local media reports indicate that wildfires have raged across the island, including in Palermo and Catania.

Three people are dead. Three people have died.

Renato Schiifani, the president of Sicily, said that the fire made Tuesday "one of the most difficult days in decades".

Residents of the area have used social media to draw attention to this disaster.

"People cannot BREATHE from how polluted and hot air is, they are being forced on the street because their homes are BURNING," mentions a Twitter user.

Italian firefighters responded to 650 fires on Tuesday in Sicily.

Wildfires in Sicily force evacuation of tourists from resorts

A large wildfire has ravaged an area rich in vegetation, north of Catania.

The resorts Donna Carmela, San Antonio, and Galea Agritourism were evacuated as a precaution.

San Vito Lo Capo, on the west side of the island near Trapani, has also been evacuated.

Segesta's renowned archaeological park has also been severely affected by fires. Some of Italy's oldest buildings are located in the park.

Local reports claim that the Doric Temple, dating back to the 5th century BC was in flames Monday night.

Fire closes Sicily's major airport

According to an announcement made on social media, a wildfire at Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino Airport caused the airport to suspend air traffic on Tuesday until 11am local time.

Firefighters battled to contain the blaze throughout the night after it broke out Monday evening, above the town of Cinisi.

A tweet from the airport that serves the capital of the island stated that only a few flights would be allowed to depart. Turin, an Italian city, was also able to land a plane.

The airport confirmed that it would be operational for flights departing, but services arriving were dependent on the weather.

The fire also disrupted rail and road traffic in the area.

Catania Airport was forced to close due to an inferno that broke out last week. It has since partially reopened.

This has led to fears that the island could suffer economic losses due to canceled tourist visits.

"I hope that tourist flows in the areas affected by the fires will not suffer losses," Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci told the Italian press.

Sicily scorches in temperatures of over 45 degrees

Italy is at increased risk of heat-related deaths and fires due to the heatwave that has engulfed southern Europe.

Catania in Sicily recorded a mercury temperature of 46.7 C, which is just a few degrees below the European record 48.8 C set in Syracuse in 2020.

Palermo, Catania, and 16 other cities in Italy, were placed on red alert Tuesday because of high temperatures.

A storm that hit the northern city Milan on Monday night tore off roofs and uprooted many trees. The overground transportation system has been disrupted and roads have been blocked.

Source: euronews.com