Two men arrested for arson near Frigole, Lecce

On 20 June 2026, Carabinieri in the province of Lecce detained a 62‑year‑old man of Albanian origin living in Lecce and a 57‑year‑old Italian resident. They are accused of deliberately setting a forest fire in the countryside north‑east of the city, near the hamlet of Frigole. According to investigators, the suspects were travelling in a company truck and threw a lit paper fuse onto piles of waste by the roadside, igniting roughly 2,500 m² of Mediterranean scrub and uncultivated land. Prompt action by Carabinieri patrols and fire‑fighting squads contained the blaze in its early stages, preventing more extensive damage.

The two men were placed under house arrest by judicial order. Authorities highlighted that Lecce records the highest number of vegetation fires in the province and said the area between Frigole, Torre Chianca and San Cataldo is especially vulnerable to wind‑driven fires. The Carabinieri forest unit announced reinforced monitoring, including increased patrols, drones and aerial support, as part of ongoing prevention efforts.