Vesuvius: Fires under control, but danger remains: 500 hectares up in smoke.

NNaples – The three fire fronts that have been threatening Vesuvius for days are currently under control. This is confirmed by the Campania Region Civil Protection Department, which, however, urges caution: the risk of re-ignition remains high, both along the perimeter and within the areas already burned.

The flames have devoured approximately 500 hectares of vegetation, spanning the municipalities of Trecase, Boscotrecase, and Terzigno. Coordinated action between the Civil Protection Department, the National Department, the Army, and the Fire Brigade is producing initial results: ground teams, Canadair aircraft from the national fleet, and regional helicopters are operating nonstop, while the Army has completed three firebreaks and is completing a fourth. A constant presence is expected throughout the night, with shifts already scheduled for the coming days.

Last night was calmer than previous nights, a sign that the containment strategy is working. "We're working to finally put out the fire," explains Raffaele De Luca, president of the Vesuvius National Park Authority, "but we can breathe a sigh of relief." Terzigno's mayor, Francesco Ranieri, expressed the same cautious optimism.

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However, some areas remain off-limits, such as the access road to the Gran Cono. Meanwhile, controversy is mounting on social media: M5S MP Alessandro Caramiello, visiting the affected areas, announces the proposal for a Services Conference or a special commissioner with special powers to "intervene rapidly, coordinate prevention and reconstruction." Caramiello also reignites the debate over the use of funds: "I want to know how the €75 million allocated in 2017 after a similar fire was spent and what results it achieved."

The reference is to the fires of the summer of eight years ago, when Vesuvius was ravaged for weeks by arson, an environmental disaster that has remained in the collective memory. Today, as then, the paradox of a natural heritage of global importance being put at risk remains, and the urgent need for a structured prevention plan.

Meanwhile, the fight against the flames continues. And, once again, those standing on the front lines are the army, firefighters, civil defense, Red Cross, and volunteers: "To them," Caramiello concludes, "I extend my gratitude for their courage and dedication, often at the risk of their own lives."