Another night of fire on Vesuvius: a new front of flames. The situation is increasingly dramatic.

Another night of fire on Vesuvius, another night of fear. Another hellish night. Another night of destruction. Those who had hoped and spoken of an end to the emergency were resoundingly proven wrong by the flames.

Around midnight yesterday, the fire on the slopes of Vesuvius regained strength, bringing further destruction. It's clear at this point that something isn't working properly in terms of rescue and firefighting operations.

Some people make superficial statements with August already in mind, without considering the damage being caused to the ecosystem of the southern province of Naples. Because if you think about the sun, the heat, and the sea, you'll then have to think about the other environmental disasters that will come with the rains.

Citizens living in the municipalities south of Naples know how to see with their own eyes what is happening, beyond the political declarations and the sometimes toxic narrative that insists the situation has been resolved or is on the way to being resolved.

Unfortunately, that's not the case. Just as it's not true that the fire started on Friday afternoon. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it broke out on that date, and the flames had started on Tuesday afternoon. And so for three days, no one intervened. There was no aerial rescue, yet some municipal administrators who have been appearing on television for days simply looked up at the mountain to realize there was a fire raging.

Now that the damage, or rather the disaster, has been done, we must act quickly and try to prevent even worse. The judicial investigation will then determine the culprits and the political and institutional responsibilities of those who intervened too late.

Meanwhile, since yesterday evening, ten forest firefighting teams from the Lazio Civil Protection Department have also arrived, for a total commitment of approximately 60 people with eight pick-up trucks and two fire hoses, one of 8 liters and one of 2 liters.

Vesuvius in flames, Terzigno loses two of Campania's jewels: viticulture and fruit growing are on their knees. This time, the flames are devouring the Terzigno slope, turning hectares of farmland to ash and striking at the heart of two of Campania's finest products: the Lacryma Christi DOP vineyards and the Pellecchiella apricot orchards.

"A huge disaster," denounces Valentina Stinga, president of Coldiretti Napoli, "because Vesuvius National Park is not only a natural landmark and a tourist attraction, but also an agricultural treasure that produces unique specialties, beloved by visitors and proudly consumed by Neapolitans."

The production of Lacryma Christi, Pellecchielle and Piennolo DOP tomatoes is at risk.

The timing couldn't have been worse. The fire struck in the middle of the harvest season, jeopardizing the production of Lacryma Christi, a wine steeped in centuries of history and tradition.

But the fire did not even spare the slopes where the sweet Pellecchiella apricots ripen, nor the Pomodorino del Piennolo DOP plants, hanging like red jewels from balconies and kitchens throughout the region.

The flames, in addition to destroying orchards and vineyards, are also impacting the rural tourism industry: agritourism, wineries, and tasting tours that attract thousands of Italian and foreign visitors every year. "After the 2017 fire, which caused enormous damage, we find ourselves once again dealing with a devastating emergency," Stinga recalls. "This time, the ones paying the price are the families who live off agriculture and tourism. Getting back on their feet will be difficult for everyone."

The fire on Vesuvius is not just an environmental tragedy: it is an economic and cultural disaster, which risks impoverishing for years a region where nature, history, and unique flavors intertwine in an unparalleled heritage.

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