Heatwave, record drought spark wildfires in Italy
STORY: A fire broke out on Friday (July 15) in a corn field between a beach and the pine forest in Bibione, in the municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento, on the border between the Veneto and Friuli regions.
Firefighters battled another wildfire on Saturday (July 16) which hit a forest near the small town of San Polo dei Cavalieri, some 45 kilometres from Rome, where some families were evacuated as a precautionary measure after the flames approached the town centre.
Italy is experiencing extreme drought conditions that are spreading through the country, with rivers and reservoirs drying up.
Next week temperatures are expected to rise to 42 degrees Celsius in many Italian cities in the north of the country.
