Six Canadairs and five fire-fighting
helicopters were back in action early Monday morning to tackle
the wildfires that broke out in various parts of Sicily on
Sunday.
Over 50 fires have been reported on the island region, with the
situation reportedly remaining critical around Messina.
"The situation is improving on all fronts, thanks above all to
the massive intervention of men and vehicles working to prevent
the fires from gaining new strength," said Sicily Governor
Renato Schifani.
"However, the situation remains critical in the Messina area,
where four Canadairs have been dispatched. Fortunately, there
have been no reports of injuries," he continued, adding that he
was "still shaken by the images of tourists forced to flee the
beaches of Trapani, surrounded by flames".
Trapani airport in western Sicily was closed to air traffic on
Sunday after a wildfire broke out near the runway.
Emergency rescuers also had to evacuate the coastal Scopello
tuna fishing establishment due to another fire, with around 200
tourists taken to safety by sea.
Further inland, the Gibellina state road 119 was once again
closed due to a fire near Alcamo.
The situation was also difficult around Palermo, where a
wildfire along the motorway linking the Sicilian regional
capital to the popular seaside resort of Mazara del Vallo caused
severe disruptions to holidaymakers returning home.
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