Firefighters one Thursday continued to battle hundreds of blazes fuelled by the “Lucifer” heatwave, which saw temperatures reach 48.8°C in Sicily, in what experts have described as the “hottest week of summer”.
The wildfires claimed three lives on Wednesday, taking the country’s death toll to five.
A 77-year-old shepherd who was found dead in the southern Calabria region was among the victims.
Reports said he was in a farmhouse where he had apparently sought refuge with his flock.
“Yet another victim of the fires. We are losing our history, our identity is turning to ashes, our soul is burning,” Giuseppe Falcomata, the mayor of Reggio Calabria, wrote on Facebook.
He urged people to keep away from the affected areas.
Near Catania, Sicily, a 30-year-old farmer died when he was crushed by his tractor while fighting a blaze.
Fires have also wiped out thousands of hectares of vegetation and threatened properties in various parts of Italy, with Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia and Campania hit especially hard.
The European Commission on Thursday said two French Canadair water-bomber aircraft would be sent to battle the fires in Italy once they complete their operations in Greece, which has also been devastated by blazes.
According to forecasts, the “Lucifer” heatwave is yet to reach its peak, causing grave concerns for firefighters.
Temperatures are expected to soar on Friday, when 17 cities are set to be on “red alert”.
When a city is on red alert it means the heat is so intense it is a danger to the health of the general population, not just the elderly and vulnerable.
The 17 cities that will be on red alert from Friday are: Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Cagliari, Campobasso, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Naples, Palermo, Perugia, Rieti, Rome, Trieste and Viterbo.
Scientists say the climate crisis is causing heatwaves and extreme weather events, such as wildfires, to be more frequent and intense.
With ANSA
