Southern Italy wildfires linked to arson using cats as fire‑starters

Wildfires have ravaged southern Italy this week, affecting Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia. Investigators from Calabria’s Civil Protection Agency, led by Domenico Costarella, disclosed video evidence that arsonists tied flammable‑soaked rags to the tails of stray cats and released the animals into dry fields, allowing the cats to run and spread the flames. The probe also uncovered candles placed among rag bundles, delayed‑ignition devices and empty Molotov‑cocktail bottles, indicating a coordinated arson operation.

Firefighting crews have fought more than 160 incidents around the Pollino National Park in Calabria within a 24‑hour period. Animal‑rights groups, including the Italian Association for the Defense of Animals and the Environment (AIDAA), have filed criminal complaints and offered a €1,000 reward for information leading to the perpetrators. Authorities note that similar tactics were used by Mafia groups in 2016‑2017 to ignite fires in Sicilian and Neapolitan regions, suggesting a pattern of organized‑crime involvement.

The arson allegations come amid a severe European fire season, with the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) reporting vegetation growth from a wet winter now serving as tinder after successive summer heatwaves. The use of cats as living fire‑starters has drawn widespread outrage and heightened scrutiny of organized‑crime exploitation of environmental emergencies.