Rome: A significant fire erupted in Rome on Wednesday, affecting a hill near the Italian capital’s court of justice and a public TV broadcasting center. The blaze led to the evacuation of multiple buildings and offices, according to firefighters.
The fire, which occurred in the Monte Mario area, was brought under control with the efforts of 10 firefighting crews, as reported by the national fire department on X. The department shared a video showing helicopters, fire engines, and a few burnt-out parked cars.
Adriano De Acutis, the head of Rome’s firefighters, told RAI public television, “As things stand, I think we still have a lot of work to do,” indicating ongoing efforts to fully extinguish the fire.
The RAI broadcasting center was evacuated, along with a space observatory and six residential buildings. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. RAI also had to cancel an afternoon live show due to the emergency. “We are evacuating the studio,” said Nunzia De Girolamo, one of the show’s presenters, in an Instagram video. “The fire in Monte Mario is serious; we will see you tomorrow,” she added.
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Earlier in the day, the regional civil protection office issued a bulletin warning of a high fire risk in Rome due to extreme temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95°F). The European Commission reported in April that climate change is increasing the frequency of wildfires, noting that the 2023 wildfire season in Europe has been one of the worst this century.
As summer continues, wildfires are becoming more frequent across the Mediterranean region, affecting countries such as Spain, Greece, and the Balkans.
