State Road 163 "Amalfitana" has reopened to traffic between km 6,000 and km 8,500, between the municipalities of Piano di Sorrento and Vico Equense, in the province of Naples. The reopening was possible after the fire, which had spread over a front of over 3 kilometers on the slope adjacent to the road, was extinguished. The Fire Department responded to the scene, along with ANAS (National Highway Code) and regional Civil Protection personnel.
Over the past 24 hours, the Amalfi Coast has experienced moments of intense apprehension. "We've been in a state of emergency for almost 24 hours," Agerola Mayor Tommaso Naclerio wrote on Facebook. "It was a terrifying fire, and it's hard to forget. The flames reached within inches of homes, and for a moment, the risk was truly real." According to the mayor, the credit for averting more serious damage goes primarily to "the courage of the volunteers who responded without hesitation."
Naclerio doesn't mince his words against those who started the fire: "There's one word we must say forcefully today: shame. Anyone who starts a fire is a damned criminal. They devastate our natural heritage and threaten people's lives. They put homes at risk. They tear apart the most beautiful landscape in the world. Those who devastate Agerola are devastating all of our homes. And they cannot go unpunished. As mayor, I say this with all my strength: Agerola is not a land to be conquered by criminals. We will defend our territory every day, with every means at our disposal."
Meanwhile, the airborne cleanup phase has been completed. The Campania Region's DOS (Director of Operations), Leopoldo De Luise, coordinated the air operations throughout the day. "We remain on high alert," the mayor warned.
