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Wildfires that broke out at several locations on Sicily, Italy's largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, are threatening residential areas in parts of the region, local sources said.
Near Palermo, Sicily's regional capital on the island's western coast, a fire broke out in the afternoon in scrubland stretching from the town of Ciminna to Ventimiglia di Sicilia and spread over a wide area, according to local sources.
Firefighting crews responded on the ground with water tankers, while firefighting planes and helicopters worked from the air to bring the blaze under control. The response involved coordinated ground and aerial units as the fire continued to spread through the scrubland, and local authorities have not indicated whether the blaze has been fully contained.
At times, the fire threatened homes in the area. One person was injured and transported to Palermo by medical helicopter, local sources said. Authorities did not immediately release further details on the extent of the injury or the person's condition.
Flames that consumed hectares of scrubland around Ciminna also threatened homes in the area, forcing many residents to leave, according to reports. The extent of property damage in the affected area has not yet been confirmed, and no timeline has been given for when residents may be able to return.
Aside from the fire near Palermo, blazes were also reported in scrubland near the cities of Trapani, Agrigento and Messina, local sources said.
Trapani sits on Sicily's western coast, Agrigento lies along the southern shore near the island's ancient Greek temple ruins, and Messina is located at the island's northeastern tip facing the Italian mainland.
Temperatures on the island rose above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) as the fires burned. National media reports said some of the fires were suspected to have been deliberately set, though no official confirmation of the cause has been reported.
Sicily and other parts of southern Italy regularly experience wildfires in the summer, when high temperatures and dry vegetation increase fire risk across the region. Italy's civil protection system typically coordinates aerial and ground firefighting resources across affected regions during peak fire season.
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