Italy is sizzling, and we’re not just talking about the gorgeous men and women. Temperatures all over the country are approaching or over 100 degrees and presenting a health hazard. Some regions where the heat and dryness have combined to spark wildfires have declared states of emergency. “Fires forced the rescue of about 250 beach-goers by boat on the Gargano peninsula (Puglia), above the heel of the Italian boot, where temperatures hit 107 degrees,” Italian news agency ANSA reported today. A plane involved in firefighting crashed in Abruzzo Monday killing the pilot and injuring a crew member.
For some even more cringe-worthy news, according to ANSA, “Two people were burned alive in their car near the town of Peschici, while another two were asphyxiated on a beach that was engulfed by flames nearby… Meanwhile more than 1,000 beachgoers were evacuated by sea from beaches near Peschici, while in nearby Vieste, fires destroyed four campsites.” More blazes have been reported on the Amalfi Coast, the island of Sardinia and some other locations in central Italy. — Laura Cimperman
