MILAN (AP) — Firefighters on the Italian island of Sicily on Saturday battled dozens of wildfires fueled by high temperatures, prompting the region’s governor to request assistance from Rome.
Some 150 people trapped in two seaside areas in the city of Catania were evacuated late Friday by sea, where they were picked up by rubber dinghies and transferred to Coast Guard boats.
The Catania airport also was briefly closed to give precedence to helicopters and planes battling the flames.
The wildfires also affected Palermo province, where high temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (over 104 degrees Fahrenheit) and gusts of hot wind fanned the flames.
Arson was suspected in some cases. Regional Gov. Nello Musumeci called for life in prison for anyone convicted of arson.
The Associated Press
