Gargano coastal fires force sea evacuations and road closures across Puglia and Molise FAST-MOVING
A massive wildfire is sweeping the Gargano peninsula and the adjacent Basso Molise area in southern Italy. The blaze has burned more than six hectares of Mediterranean scrub and Aleppo pine near Rivabella, Padula Bianca and the forests around Peschici and Vieste. Strong winds have driven the flames to the sea, prompting the Coast Guard to evacuate hundreds of tourists – estimates range from 200 to over 400 people – by boat from the beaches between Peschici and Vieste.
Emergency services have deployed two Canadair water‑bombers, helicopters, fire trucks and volunteer crews. Road 16 and a stretch of the Adriatic railway have been closed, and provincial roads along the coast have been redirected. In Campomarino the Villa San Gerardo elderly‑care home was evacuated, moving 21 residents to safety, while the Holiday Beach lido in Rivabella was completely destroyed.
Mayor Flavio Fasano of Gallipoli and Mayor Luigi d’Arenzo of Peschici have requested a formal state of natural disaster to unlock emergency funds, and regional authorities are planning immediate re‑forestation and fire‑break measures. The fire’s cause is under investigation, with several sources describing it as “presumibly arson”.
Entities: Flavio Fasano · Flavio Fasano (Mayor of Gallipoli) · Gargano (region, Italy) · Holiday Beach · Holiday Beach (lido in Rivabella) · Luigi D’Arenzo · Luigi d'Arenzo (Mayor of Peschici) · Napoleone Cera · Peschici (town) · Villa San Gerardo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] A wildfire on the Gargano peninsula forced the evacuation of tourists by sea from beaches between Peschici and Vieste.
- [● 5 SOURCES] More than six hectares of pine and Mediterranean scrub were burned near Rivabella on the Gallipoli coast. (clause)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Holiday Beach club in Rivabella, operating for 44 years, was destroyed by the fire. (clause)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Gargano fire burned a large area of Mediterranean scrub and Aleppo pine. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mayor Flavio Fasano of Gallipoli announced a request for a state of natural disaster to obtain emergency funds. (clause)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Villa San Gerardo elderly care home in Campomarino was evacuated, moving 21 residents to safety. (clause)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Approximately 200 people were evacuated from a residence in Rivabella. (clause)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Campomarino fire in Molise led to the closure of State road 16 and a section of the Adriatic railway. (clause)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Two Canadair aircraft were deployed to fight the fires. (clause)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The fire’s origin is suspected to be arson. (clause)