Man arrested for arson of agricultural waste in Oria, Italy

Police in Oria, Apulia, stopped a man who repeatedly set fire to piles of plastic, glass bottles and other waste on his farmland, often driving with his family to watch the flames. The arson took place at night near the border with Manduria and was interrupted when the landowner, identified as Mario, alerted the Carabinieri. Officers arrived while the fire was still burning, detained the suspect and took him to the barracks. He has been formally charged and released pending further legal proceedings, with additional administrative checks on his waste‑tax payments. The incident highlights the ongoing problem of illegal agricultural fires that strain Italy's fire‑fighting services, especially in the southern regions.