Palermo is burning: Cervello Hospital at risk, many exits of A29 closed.

Last Updated: July 25, 2023

Il fuoco attorno a Palermo, fa paura l'incendio nella zona Inserra - VIDEO

#Palermo
An inferno. In the true sense of the word. Palermo is burning, and it’s not just a figure of speech. The capital and its province are besieged by flames like few times before.

Hell in Mondello and Baida:
In Mondello Monte Gallo, throughout the night houses were threatened by fire, and some villas were reached by flames above the Mongibello parking lot. The area overlooking the reserve has been burning since yesterday afternoon. Another villa was destroyed here as well. The area of via Inserra and Pizzo Sella is filled with hundreds of people on the streets. There were flames during the night in the upper part of Bonagia and in Boccadifalco.

The fire that started in the morning in San Martino and Monreale, propelled by the sirocco wind, has reached Baida, Poggio Ridente, and the upper part of Borgo Nuovo. Hundreds of people were evacuated in Baida square and in cars along via Pitrè.

Then in Romitello, with people abandoning their homes. The fire on Monte Inserra in Palermo is threatening homes and even the Cervello hospital. This was confirmed by Civil Protection, adding that dozens of volunteer teams are operating tonight alongside the fire department and forestry corps in the areas surrounding Palermo, Messina, Catania, Agrigento, and Enna.

In the area where the Cervello hospital is located, in the Cruillas neighborhood, the most at-risk homes are being evacuated, and an aerial intervention began at dawn. The fire on Monte Gallo that started in the afternoon on the Mondello side has spread to the Sferracavallo side, where some people have left their homes.

Fires in Bellolampo: “Don’t leave your homes”:
Fires also in Bellolampo, where the city’s landfill is located and where one of the basins is burning. The danger is that toxic fumes may be released. In the evening, the municipal emergency operation center was established in Palermo. Civil Protection, which has been engaged in firefighting operations with Canadair aircraft for hours, advises people not to leave their homes due to the dioxin risk. The fire department’s phone lines, assisted by a helicopter, are overwhelmed.

In Contrada Failla Partinico/Trappeto, another fire threatens the urban center. The situation is also complex in Altofonte, Monreale, and Bellolampo. Volunteer teams from other provinces are converging on Palermo. Extensive fires are also affecting Terrasini, Cinisi, Piana degli Albanesi, and San Cipirello.

Falcone-Borsellino closed and many A29 exits:
Punta Raisi is also trapped in the flames. The extensive fire that developed above Cinisi due to the sirocco wind has reached the perimeter of the Falcone Borsellino airport. As a result, Gesap announced that the airport will remain closed until 11 am today, with numerous flights canceled. Road traffic has also inevitably been affected, with the A29 Palermo-Mazara highway closed in many places due to the fires.

Extensive blaze between Gratteri and Cefalù:
A large fire has been burning in the Pianetti area between Gratteri and Cefalù since last night. The flames are fueled by strong winds, which make it very difficult for firefighters, forestry personnel, and the Giubbe d’Italia group to intervene. The fire front is descending towards contrada Campella in Cefalù, driven by shifting winds.