PREVIEW

This video footage and these images show Italian firefighters battling fires around Rome on Wednesday and Thursday (31July-1August2024).
The fire on Rome’s Monte Mario hill is being cleaned up after a grueling 24-hour battle by firefighters. Teams from the National Fire Brigade, assisted by aircraft, brought it under control after tirelessly working since the blaze broke out on Wednesday.
The fire, which erupted near the Italian capital’s court of justice and a public TV broadcasting centre, forced the evacuation of several buildings and offices. The blaze has since been brought under control with 10 fire crews actively involved, the national fire department announced on X (formerly Twitter), sharing videos of helicopters, fire engines, and burnt-out cars.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” said Adriano De Acutis, head of Rome’s firefighters, in an interview with RAI public television.
The fire prompted the evacuation of RAI’s broadcasting centre, a space observatory, and six residential buildings. Despite the extensive damage, there have been no reported injuries. RAI also had to cancel an afternoon live show, with presenter Nunzia De Girolamo sharing the news on Instagram, stating, “The fire in Monte Mario is serious, we will see you tomorrow.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the regional civil protection office had warned of a high risk of fires in Rome due to extreme temperatures, which soared above 35 degrees Celsius (95°F).
According to a European Commission report in April, climate change is making wildfires more frequent, with the 2023 wildfire season in Europe among the worst this century. As summer progresses, wildfires are increasingly common across the Mediterranean, affecting countries like Spain, Greece, and the Balkans.