The wildfires in Italy have struck several regions simultaneously over the past few days. Between the start of the year and early July 2026, approximately 11,566 hectares burned across the country, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) with more than 5,000 hectares accounting for June and July alone. From the coast of Sardinia to the Alps in Piedmont and down to Sicily, multiple fronts are currently active, with beach evacuations, road closures, and visible consequences for residents and travelers.
Sardinia: Evacuated Beaches and a Burning Coastal Forest
The most dramatic images come from northern Italy's most popular Mediterranean vacation destination. On July 13, 2026, a fire broke out in the pine forest landscape of Monti Russu near Aglientu in the Gallura region, destroying approximately 20 hectares of coastal forest, as reported by L'Unione Sarda. Firefighters cleared the beaches of Litarroni and Naracu Nieddu, provincial road 90 between Castelsardo and Santa Teresa Gallura was closed for several hours, and two Canadair water bombers along with a Super Puma firefighting helicopter were deployed.
As ANSA from Cagliari reports, a small vacation resort with villas also came under threat. A faulty Enel power pylon located next to a pump station at the Gallura Beach Village resort is suspected as the cause of the fire, and the public prosecutor's office is investigating. In early July, the Cagliari region had already experienced a similar series of fires: between Selargius and Monserrato, roughly 100 hectares of agricultural land burned in just two days, six people were evacuated as a precaution, and state roads 554 and 387 were temporarily closed.
Piedmont: "Eco-Catastrophe" in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
Further north, the summer of 2026 is presenting an atypical fire scenario. According to a statement from the regional government, between 800 and 900 hectares of forest burned in the provinces of Turin, Vercelli, Novara, and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, as Sky TG24 reports. The Regione Piemonte described the situation in an official statement as a genuine eco-catastrophe with considerable damage to local biodiversity. This region lies in close proximity to Lago Maggiore, whose tourist season revolves around events such as the Stresa Festival .
According to the fire department, lightning strikes during severe thunderstorms in the preceding days caused the fires, which spread rapidly due to persistently high temperatures, parched soil, and downslope winds in the Alps. On July 8, Domodossola recorded 39 degrees Celsius, while Ala di Stura at an elevation of 1,000 meters reached 33.5 degrees. This combination of weather conditions and ground conditions makes clear why the fire zone in 2026 has also reached alpine areas where wildfires have traditionally been the exception.
Sicily and the South: Persistent Fires with Temperatures Exceeding 40 Degrees
Sicily and the southern regions have been battling a series of fires since June, intensified by the heat waves of this summer. Multiple active fire outbreaks have been reported in the provinces of Palermo and Oristano, while a new wave of Saharan air is pushing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. The current weather situation and its effects are covered in detail in the article on the third heat wave in Italy .
Historically, Sicily, Calabria and Campania are the Italian regions most severely affected by wildfires. According to the latest ISPRA data, 71 percent of the national wildfire area was concentrated in these three regions. The combination of Mediterranean vegetation, prolonged dry spells and strong winds such as the scirocco makes them particularly vulnerable, and the warming of the Mediterranean further amplifies this trend.
The Climate Crisis as an Accelerant
According to EFFIS data, 2025 was the worst wildfire year in the EU since systematic record-keeping began in 2006, with more than 1.07 million hectares burned, and 2026 already tracks above the long-term average in its figures to date. Italy's environmental agency ISPRA notes in its most recent reports that the Mediterranean is warming at roughly twice the global average rate and that the fire season in southern and central Europe is lengthening accordingly.
For travelers, this calls not for panic but for preparation. During the summer months, it is advisable to check the warnings issued by the Protezione Civile in Sardiniabefore planning hikes or excursions into forested areas. Those already on the ground should follow the instructions of local authorities strictly, take road closures and beach evacuations seriously, and avoid any attempt to pass through restricted zones. Practical tips for dealing with extreme summer temperatures can be found in a dedicated article on the heat in Italy compiled.
