Dozens of people have been evacuated after a forest fire broke out on the remote Italian island of Pantelleria with the help of designer Giorgio Armani, who was vacationing there, authorities said Thursday (18 August).
The Coast Guard said 30 tourists were evacuated by boats after the fire broke out in vegetation in the north-east of the island between Sicily and Tunisia on Wednesday. No one was injured and no property was damaged in the blaze, although two Canadairs were deployed early Thursday morning to douse the blaze.
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criminal fire
Giorgio Armani, 88, owns a holiday home in Pantelleria and “the flames came near the house” but he was not injured, a spokeswoman for the brand told AFP. “It was Giorgio Armani’s staff who gave the warning. However, Giorgio Armani decided to go by boat to warn the neighbors,” she added. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire, but Pantelleria Mayor Vincenzo Campo said it could be arson. He thanked the emergency services for their help and condemned the “cowards” who “unfairly trample this country”.
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Much of western Europe, including Italy, has turned into a powder keg this summer due to a series of heat waves and rainless months. According to experts, man-made climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and wildfires.