Italian firefighters are battling a significant forest fire in Tuscany that has forced the evacuation of around 3,000 residents. The blaze, which has been active since Tuesday, has engulfed more than 800 hectares on Mount Faeta, an area straddling the provinces of Lucca and Pisa.
Matteo Cecchelli, the mayor of nearby San Giuliano Terme, told public broadcaster RAI that the fire was likely ignited by olive tree prunings that got out of control. Powerful overnight winds exacerbated the inferno, prompting the precautionary evacuations, said Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani.
Three Canadair firefighting planes have been deployed to support ground staff, the national fire department said on X. 'The fire is still very much active,' said the deputy mayor of Lucca, Fabio Barsanti, in a Facebook video. 'All efforts are being made to contain as much as possible the perimeter of the fire, but we cannot relax or make predictions because we are at the mercy of the wind.'
Earlier this year, the European Union’s climate commissioner announced a continentwide force of 300 firefighters to battle wildfires, after Europe faced its worst year for wildfires in 2025, which a recent study said was intensified by climate change. Wopke Hoekstra, the EU climate commissioner, called the rapid reaction force 'a huge step forward' and 'a clear sign of solidarity.'
