An arsonist was recorded by a drone while causing fires in a cane field in southern Italy, in the Calabria region, where some thirty drones have been deployed as a form of deterrence and to identify the architects of some of the fires that burn these days in the country.
In the video, provided by the Government of Calabria, a man appears burning several plants until he realizes that he is being recorded by a drone and tries to bring down the device by throwing stones.
"Calabria is a civilized region but it also has some imbeciles who are going to start fires in the forest like this arsonist," the regional president, Roberto Occhiuto, denounced today on his social networks after stating that the penalties for this crime can reach seven years in prison.
"He sets the fire, then he sees the drone and tries to shoot it down with stones, but where does it come from? From the caves?" he questioned about the individual, whom he assured had already been identified and denounced.
Southern Italy is suffering devastating fires these days after a week with temperatures that have reached 46 degrees due to the Charonte heat wave.
One of the most affected areas is Sicily, where at least three people have died (two of them burned) and more than 2,000 citizens have had to be evicted. Yesterday, the flames came so close to the city of Palermo that its airport had to be evacuated throughout the morning.
Also in the vicinity of Catania, the second most populous city in Sicily, the flames have reached inhabited areas and devastated palm trees in urbanized streets, gardens and homes, where there is also no water or electricity due to the intense heat that is causing overloads in services electrical.
The health authorities have asked people not to leave their homes because the air is unbreathable due to smoke and ash.
The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, advanced today that Italy will declare a state of emergency not only because of the fires, but also because of the violent storms that the north has suffered, with cyclones, tornadoes and hailstorms that have resulted in two deaths, a woman 58 years old and a 16-year-old teenager, due to falling trees.
"The fires and weather catastrophes of the last few days have put Italy to the test. I am sincerely close to the pain of those who have lost their loved ones," Meloni said, in a video.
