Firestorm on the hills, 32 hectares burned

FLORENCE, ITALY – There are 32 hectares of plants, vegetation and brush burned in the fire broke out yesterday afternoon in via Bolognese on the hills of Florence. Reclamation is still in progress, firefighters continued to work throughout the night and this morning thanks to volunteers.

The fire would started for human negligent: to cause it, probably a cigarette butt thrown into a reed bed that runs along via di Careggi, downstream. With the vegetation and temperatures near 40 C degrees, the flames spread quickly.

Yesterday afternoon were evacuated 15 houses and also Villa Le Rondini hotel, with thirty guests. Three people were intoxicated, two residents and a firefighter.

A two-story house on via Bolognese Vecchia, evacuated by firefighters, was reached by the flames and partially damaged before firefighters were able to extinguish the fire. Almost completely burnt the hotel grounds.

The fire destroyed many olive groves, and even sheds and agricultural buildings. Two dogs, whose owners were on holidays, were saved before the flames  reaches their cages enclosures.