Southern Italy Wildfires Cause €10 Million Damage, Spur Prevention Calls

Gargano wildfires Campomarino arson tourism losses €10M fire prevention measures Canadair deployment

A series of wildfires swept across the Gargano peninsula in Puglia and parts of Molise in July 2024. The blaze in Peschici (Gargano) and a fire in Campomarino (Molise) were both deemed intentional arson by regional authorities. The Campomarino fire required national Civil Protection assistance, including a Canadair aircraft from Fiumicino, and led to the evacuation of a residential care home and a facility for disabled youths, as well as disruptions to rail traffic and the deployment of replacement bus services.

Assoturismo Capitanata, the tourism association for the Gargano area, estimates direct commercial losses of around €10 million and warns that the visible destruction threatens the region’s reputation as a tourist destination. Local and regional officials – including Molise President Francesco Roberti, Puglia geologist Giovanni Caputo, and representatives of the regional councils – have called for stronger prevention measures: fire‑breaks, regular maintenance of fire‑risk maps, increased monitoring, and the acquisition of a dedicated fleet of Canadair aircraft for rapid response. The incidents have reignited debate over the need for coordinated fire‑management policies across southern Italy.

Entities

Antonio Ligorio · Assoturismo Capitanata · Campomarino · Flai Cgil · Francesco Roberti · Gargano · Gargano region (Puglia, Italy) · Giannicola De Leonardis · Giovanni Caputo · Italian Government · Molise · Molise region (Italy)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Campomarino fire forced the evacuation of a residential care home and disrupted railway services. termolionline.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Giannicola De Leonardis called for Puglia to acquire its own Canadair fleet for fire fighting. www.manfredonianews.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Francesco Roberti declared the Campomarino fire a deliberate (doloso) act. termolionline.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] The fires threaten the Gargano region’s image as a tourist destination. www.foggiareporter.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Flai‑Cgil Puglia requested governmental financial neutrality to strengthen the forest‑fire service. www.statoquotidiano.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Assoturismo Capitanata estimates fire damages at about €10 million to tourism in the Gargano region. www.foggiareporter.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Nicola Di Toro called for increased monitoring and controls to prevent fires in Molise. www.isnews.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Geologist Giovanni Caputo urged stronger territorial planning, firebreaks and continuous monitoring in high‑risk areas. www.trmtv.it
[● 2 SOURCES] The fire in Peschici was identified as a deliberate arson. www.manfredonianews.it · www.trmtv.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] FLAI CGIL Puglia demanded extraordinary government intervention and financial neutrality for fire-fighting services. www.statoquotidiano.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Assoturismo Capitanata estimates fire damages in Peschici and Cagnano Varano at about €10 million. www.foggiareporter.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Fire damages in the Gargano region threaten tourism and could depress future bookings. www.foggiareporter.it