Italy deploys planes and up to 3,000 firefighters to deal with the fires in Palermo

ROME, 26 Jul. (DPA/EP) -

The Italian authorities have deployed several tanker planes and up to 3,000 firefighters to deal with the intense fires that are raging in the town of Palermo, on the island of Palermo, in the southwest of the country.

Forest fires continue to rage this Wednesday in northern Sicily, particularly in the province of Palermo, in the northwest of the island, where dozens of hectares of forests and scrub have burned in recent days.

However, the country's Fire Department has acknowledged that the situation in other parts of the Mediterranean island has improved compared to Tuesday, the date on which two charred bodies were found in Cinisi, also in northern Sicily.

The authorities have confirmed that this Wednesday there have also been fires in the eastern sector of Sicily, near the city of Catania. The strong and hot gusts of wind make it difficult to extinguish the flames.

Italian authorities attribute many of the fires to negligence and even arson, as dry conditions following a heat wave contribute to their spread.