Sardinia fires, rescue continues: canadair in flight

Rescue operations continue following the forest fires that have been affecting Sardinia and in particular the province of Oristano for some days, in the territories of Santu Lussurgiu, Cuglieri, Tresnuraghes, Frossio, Sennariolo, Usellus, Porto Albe, Scano di Montiferro and Cabras . Yesterday the activities, made particularly difficult by the strong sirocco wind that fueled the fires, were supported by eight Canadair aircraft, a helicopter from the Sassari flight department and helicopters from the regional Aib service. Read also The rescue device deployed by the National Corps has ten ground teams, supported by 5 canadair aircraft, which have been operating on the fire fronts at Scano di Montiferro and Tresnuraghes since 6.15 this morning. For a faster resolution of the emergency, the Civil Protection Department has activated an international cooperation module: two Canadair aircraft from France are flying to Sardinia, while two other Canadair from Greece landed in Alghero at 4.30 am. this morning and they are ready to operate on Sardinian territory. At the moment 57 operational units on the ground are already operating, of which 28 coming from the Nuoro, Sassari and Cagliari commands and 29 from the local Oristano Command. In Tresnuraghes, three teams worked all night in contrasting the fire front, and their activity made it possible to safeguard two accommodation facilities. In Scano di Montiferro the night work of the teams made it possible to bring the fire front under control, which yesterday had caused the evacuation of over 400 people. Sardinia declared a state of emergency. The measure was taken by the Executive during the meeting called yesterday evening, with an urgent character, by the President of the Region, Christian Solinas.
“I am close to the population of Sardinia, my friend Curcio, with whom I constantly feel, is working. Surely the head of Civil Protection is doing his best”, said the commissioner for the Coronavirus emergency, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, who spoke to ‘Morning News’ on Canale 5.Coldiretti: “15 years to rebuild the woods” “It will take at least 15 years to rebuild the woods and the Mediterranean scrub destroyed by the flames that reached pastures, olive trees, warehouses, barns with fodder stocks and agricultural vehicles but also killed animals and it is a calamity with incalculable damage to agriculture in the more than 20 thousand hectares that have burned down “. This is what emerges from Coldiretti’s monitoring of the effects of the devastating fires that hit Sardinia in various locations on the island, especially in the Oristano area. To the economic and social costs is added a real environmental catastrophe with centuries-old holm oaks, downy oaks and cork oaks gone up in smoke in areas where all traditional human activities will also be prevented. A disaster from every point of view – affirms the association – with the total destruction of the herbs and essences that are the basis of the feeding of sheep and cows. If certainly the flare-up of the flames in the Mediterranean scrub is favored by the anomalous climate with high temperatures and heat, what is worrying – it is emphasized – is the action of arsonists with 60% of the fires that are estimated to be caused voluntarily. Coldiretti explains that she is “engaged in a capillary action of monitoring and assistance to farmers and breeders to whom she asks to act with the utmost caution and thanks all the forces involved in the fire extinguishing operations coordinated by the Civil Protection”.