Sicily and Sardinia fires: red alerts and island evacuations

What happened

Sicily is Italy's problem region, and it still is today. Dozens of separate fires have run across the island from Catania to Agrigento and Palermo, with homes evacuated as a precaution at Carini, flames reaching the edge of Castronovo, and the Palermo–Catania motorway closed in both directions at times where fire came up to the verges. The state road up to Monreale was shut temporarily. Sardinia has not had the same fires but is back on high fire-danger warning today, Cagliari included. On the other side of the country, the Gargano peninsula in Puglia had its own bad week: tourists were taken off beaches and out of campsites by sea near Peschici, and beaches at Vieste were cleared.

What it means if you're travelling

Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the whole north are unaffected — this is a southern and islands story. On Sicily the threat to your trip is the drive, not the flight. The A19 between Palermo and Catania has been closed in sections with traffic pushed onto the SS120 and other back roads, which turns a two-hour transfer into something much longer, so build in slack and check before you leave rather than at the junction. Steer clear of rural and hill roads near a visible smoke column. On Sardinia today's warning is about ignition: no barbecues, no cigarettes out of the car window, and expect quick precautionary closures on country roads. On the Gargano, coastal campsites and beach clubs have been evacuated at short notice before — if you're booked there, keep your documents and phone with you at the beach and know where your car keys are.

The live picture

Official sources for this event