Puglia Wildfire Crisis Prompts Flai Cgil Call for Government Action

Severe wildfires are sweeping across all provinces of Puglia, from the Capitanata to the Salento, destroying forests, scrubland and threatening homes, farms, tourist facilities and infrastructure. The Flai Cgil trade union of Puglia, led by secretary‑general Antonio Ligorio, says the situation has become a national civil‑protection emergency that requires immediate extraordinary measures from the Italian government.

Ligorio urges the prime minister and relevant ministers to visit the affected areas, to recognise the financial neutrality of spending on forest‑fire services and to free those costs from the EU stability‑pact limits. The union also demands stable, permanent contracts for frontline firefighters and faster bureaucratic procedures so that hiring and protection of personnel can be guaranteed.