“For safety reasons and to facilitate firefighting and cleanup operations in the affected areas, all activities along the Vesuvius National Park trail network are suspended until further notice,” a statement said.
Nearly 620,000 people visited the crater of the active volcano in 2024, according to the park.
The smoke from the fire could be seen from the Pompeii archaeological site, which was buried by Vesuvius’ eruption during Roman times. The site, however, remained open to tourists.
Experts say European countries are becoming ever more vulnerable to wildfires because of intensifying summer heatwaves linked to global warming.
On Mt Vesuvius, “the firefighting efforts are particularly delicate due to both the weather conditions – high temperatures and wind – and the pine needles, which contribute to the spread of the flames,” said Italo Giulivo, head of the region’s civil protection department.
Italy’s biggest agricultural association Coldiretti said the fires were “an enormous disaster” for vineyards and farms in an area well known for its wine, apricots and tomatoes.
The local prosecutors’ office has opened an investigation into the origin of the fires.
-Agence France-Presse
