(ANSA) – ROME, JUL 27 – In Italy 159,437 hectares of forest and vegetation were burned by wildfires in 2021, an increase of 154.8% with respect to 2020, environmental association Legambiente said in a report on Wednesday.
The report, entitled 'Italy in Smoke' (Italia in Fumo), said the fires were often caused by arson or other criminal activities and the situation has been made worse by the climate crisis.
The figures for 2022 look set to be even worse.
Italian firefighters conducted 32,921 operations to combat blazes involving forests and vegetation between June 15 and July 21, 4,040 more than in the same period last year, according to data released on Friday.
The severe drought Italy is enduring and a series of heat waves have created conditions that make it easier for fires to spread fast.
Drought and heat waves are among the extreme weather events that scientists say are becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change caused by human activity. (ANSA).
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