Fires in Gargano and Molise: Tourists and seniors evacuated, trains and roads halted.

While vast fires continue to affect various areas of France and Spain, the emergency has also affected Italy, particularly the Gargano and the coast of Lower Molise . Between Sunday, July 26 and Monday, July 27, 2026, numerous fires devastated pine forests, Mediterranean scrub, and rural areas, coming dangerously close to beaches, campsites, homes, and accommodations. Weather conditions, characterized by high temperatures and strong gusts of wind, favored the rapid spread of the flames and made extinguishing operations particularly complex.

The large fire that broke out at the gates of Peschici

The most serious fire in the Gargano region broke out in the late morning of July 26th in Pile Fraballe , a rural area on the outskirts of Peschici, near Difesa di Manaccora. The flames initially affected vegetation and areas covered with Mediterranean scrub and Aleppo pines, then advanced toward the coast. The fire front extended to the areas between Zaiana Bay and Manaccora, along one of the most popular and scenically significant stretches of the Gargano coast.

Flames descend towards the beaches

Driven by strong winds, the fire quickly spread from the hills toward the sea, approaching the beaches and numerous tourist resorts along the coastal road between Peschici and Vieste. A thick column of smoke, visible for several kilometers, enveloped the coastline, causing moments of intense fear among residents, tourists, and beach resort workers. Authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of those present in the most exposed areas, also to prevent the smoke and reduced visibility from obstructing escape routes.

Hundreds of tourists evacuated by sea and buses

Approximately 400 tourists have left the beaches, campsites, and resorts threatened by the flames. About a hundred people were evacuated by sea using vessels operated by the Coast Guard, the Guardia di Finanza, and private individuals made available during the emergency. Other vacationers reached Vieste by their own means or by Ferrovie del Gargano buses. Collection points have been set up in the city's port, while two school gyms have been opened to provide assistance and shelter to the evacuees.

Schools open in Peschici to welcome displaced people.

The Municipality of Peschici has opened the elementary school building on Via Montesanto to accommodate residents and tourists requiring assistance or a safe place. The administration has urged residents to come to the building if necessary and to disseminate official communications. Some tourists who had been displaced from the beaches were temporarily housed in the school buildings, while accommodations located in the areas closest to the fire remained under surveillance overnight.

The memory of the dramatic fire of 2007

The images of the flames between Peschici and Vieste brought back memories of the tragic fire of July 2007, when a massive blaze devastated the same coastal strip, causing deaths and forcing thousands of people to flee to the sea. The pine forest affected by the new fire had slowly regrown over the past twenty years. For this very reason, in addition to fears for people's safety, there is deep concern for the destruction of a natural and landscape heritage of extraordinary value.

The mayor of Peschici: "Fires started in multiple locations."

Peschici's mayor, Luigi D'Arenzo , has suggested the fires were started deliberately, claiming that the flames were started in multiple locations within the coastal pine forests. This reconstruction will need to be verified by the competent authorities, who are tasked with identifying the source of the various fires. In the rural area affected by the blaze, there are about ten homes that, according to the mayor, were not directly affected by the flames.

Canadair and helicopters working on the Gargano

The rescue effort mobilized firefighters, Civil Protection, ARIF workers, volunteers, and aircraft. At the most critical moment of the emergency, several Canadair aircraft and helicopters were deployed, continuously dropping water to slow the front's advance. On July 27, three Canadair aircraft from the National Fire Brigade's fleet remained fully operational, while ground teams received reinforcements from Campania. The interventions were coordinated with the monitoring efforts of the Prefecture and the regional Civil Protection.

The situation is under control and the cleanup has begun

On the morning of July 27, Mayor D'Arenzo announced that the situation in Peschici was under control. Guests who had left the tourist areas were able to return to their facilities, which, according to the mayor, had never been formally evacuated but had merely been secured as a precaution. Cleanup operations continued with the use of ground teams, aircraft, and helicopters to eliminate residual fires and prevent winds from causing the fire to flare up again.

No injuries, but very serious environmental damage

Despite the size of the fire and the proximity of the flames to tourist areas, no injuries or significant damage to homes or accommodations were reported. However, the environmental toll appears to be very severe. Hectares of vegetation were destroyed, and large sections of the coastal pine forest went up in smoke. "Fortunately, no damage was reported to people, homes, or accommodations, except to the invaluable natural, landscape, and environmental heritage of our forests," stated the mayor of Peschici.

The coastal road between Vieste and Peschici is closed.

The emergency also had significant impacts on traffic. Provincial Road 52, the coastal road connecting Vieste and Peschici, was temporarily closed to allow emergency vehicles to operate and protect motorists from smoke. Public transport was diverted to State Road 89, while some stops in the Manaccora area were suspended. A section of State Road 693 "Dei Laghi di Lesina e Varano" was also closed in the Cagnano Varano area.

The emergency extends to the coast of Lower Molise

Almost simultaneously, another large fire broke out in Campomarino Lido , in the province of Campobasso. The flames, which began around 11 a.m. on July 26th in the pine forest between the districts of Arcora, Lauretta, and Ancora, spread rapidly due to high temperatures and Garbino winds. The blaze affected several fronts along State Road 16, approaching homes, residences, beach resorts, campgrounds, and other facilities located along the coast.

Campsites and beach resorts evacuated

Authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of tourists from campsites and beach resorts located along the fire's path. Several families living in the most exposed areas were also forced to temporarily leave their homes. The plume of smoke engulfed entire areas of Campomarino Lido, drastically reducing visibility and making traffic difficult. State Police, Carabinieri, and local police intervened on the scene to manage evacuations, monitor roads, and prevent access to the most dangerous areas.

Villa San Gerardo retirement home evacuated

The evacuation of the Villa San Gerardo retirement home, located in the potential path of the flames, was particularly challenging . Twenty-one residents, including disabled people and elderly people requiring oxygen, were rescued by officers from the Termoli Police Station and the Guardia di Finanza. The elderly residents were transferred to the premises of the Church of the Holy Spirit, made available by the parish priest, far from the area affected by the fire.

Flames reach a closed hotel

During the afternoon, the fire also reached a hotel located in the lido area. Fortunately, the building was closed and undergoing renovations, and there were no guests or workers inside. The flames' advance toward the accommodations was subsequently contained thanks to air drops from a Canadair and the work of firefighting teams on the ground.

Firefighters at work on several fronts

Five firefighter teams from the Termoli and Santa Croce di Magliano units and the Campobasso headquarters were deployed in the Campomarino area. Specialized forest firefighting vehicles were used, while additional reinforcements were requested from the Abruzzo region. The Drago VF158 helicopter, which took off from the Pescara flight unit, also participated in the operations, along with a Canadair, tasked with making repeated drops on the front line closest to campsites, beaches, and homes.

The Adriatic railway between Pescara and Foggia has been suspended.

The Campomarino fire spread to areas adjacent to the tracks, necessitating the suspension of rail traffic on the Adriatic line between Termoli and Campomarino, along the Pescara-Foggia route. This measure impacted the entire Bari-Pescara line, with cancellations, delays, and delays for high-speed, intercity, and regional trains. Engineers had to wait for safety conditions to improve before carrying out inspections of the railway infrastructure.

State Road 16 closed, and traffic slowed on the A14 motorway.

Around 1:00 PM, the stretch of state road 16 between kilometer markers 551 and 553 was also closed. Thick smoke had reduced visibility to levels incompatible with traffic safety. Delays were also reported along the A14 motorway, while the only alternative route available during some phases of the emergency was the old Adriatic road. Firefighters, law enforcement officers, forestry workers from Arsarp, and Civil Protection volunteers worked to ensure access for emergency vehicles.

The alarm for the natural heritage of the Adriatic

The fires between Gargano and Lower Molise have affected one of the most precious stretches of the Adriatic coast, characterized by pine forests, Mediterranean scrub, bays, and protected areas. In addition to the disruption to thousands of residents and tourists, the destruction of vegetation risks having lasting consequences for the ecosystem, increasing soil erosion and making the burned areas more vulnerable to heavy rainfall. Cleanup and surveillance operations will continue to identify any hidden fires and prevent further spread.

Conte: "It's heartbreaking to see beloved places in flames."

The president of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte , a native of the province of Foggia, also addressed the emergency . "My land is burning, from Gargano to Lower Molise. It's heartbreaking to see places so dear to me in flames," he wrote on social media. Conte pledged his commitment to ensuring that all necessary interventions are implemented quickly and that no affected community is left alone to face the consequences of the fires.

Investigations into the causes remain open.

With the main fire fronts contained, attention is now focused on the causes of the fires. The hypothesis of arson, advanced by the mayor of Peschici, will need to be verified through surveys, witness statements, and analysis of the ignition points. Investigators will need to determine whether the fires in Gargano and Lower Molise were caused by deliberate action, recklessness, or other circumstances. Meanwhile, the priority remains the complete safety of the affected areas and the assessment of the environmental damage.