Naples - After days of fear and skies darkened by smoke, Vesuvius experienced its first night of respite. For residents of the towns on the volcano's slopes, it marked the end of a nightmare that since last week has devoured hectares and hectares of Mediterranean scrub, turning the greenery to ash.
The fires, which affected a large portion of the National Park, are now under control. Only a few remains. outbreaks residues, yesterday concentrated above all in the Terzigno area, where ground teams continue to work tirelessly to clear the area.
The preliminary toll is extremely heavy: approximately 560 hectares of vegetation reduced to ashes. A final estimate will be available only when the last fire is extinguished and the land is secured. "The damage is not only environmental," warns Raffaele De Luca, president of the Park and mayor of Terzigno, "but also economic and reputational, and it is not yet quantifiable."
The damage, in addition to environmental damage, is also economic and image-related.
To give an idea of the extent of the intervention are the numbers released by the Campania Region: from 5 to 10 August, between helicopters and Canadair, 1.995 fire extinguishing drops were carried out in the Vesuvian area, for a total of 7,8 million litres of water and retardant liquid.
Regional helicopters completed 892 launches—over one million liters—in 86 flight hours. The performance of the national fleet's Canadairs was even more impressive, with 1.103 launches and more than 6,8 million liters released, for over 200 total flight hours.
But the battle isn't just in the air. On the ground, 190 operational units are deployed today, including volunteers from the Campania Region, SMA operators, and personnel from the national fire prevention system. They are all working side by side, coordinated by the regional Civil Protection Department, in a race against time to prevent wind and heat from reviving the flames.
The worst seems to be behind us, but on Vesuvio The wound will remain open for a long time. It will take years for nature to recover what the fire stripped from it in a few days.
Article published by Rosaria Federico on August 12, 2025, at 09:56 PM
Comments (1)
The article is very interesting and highlights the importance of fighting fires. It's sad to see so many hectares of vegetation destroyed. I hope the recovery is quick and the economic damage is kept to a minimum.