Wildfire Erupts on Italy’s Mount Vesuvius, Forcing Closure of Hiking Trails

Firefighters in Italy are battling a fierce wildfire sweeping across the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, prompting authorities to shut down all hiking routes to the iconic volcano near Naples. The blaze, which has been burning through the Vesuvius National Park since Friday, has intensified over the weekend, forcing emergency teams into a race against time to contain it.

According to the national fire service, 12 ground teams and six Canadair firefighting aircraft have been deployed to tackle the flames. Reinforcements from other regions are also being dispatched, while drones are being used to track and monitor the fire’s spread in real time.

In a statement, the Vesuvius National Park authority announced that all activities along the trail network have been suspended “until further notice” to ensure public safety and allow crews to focus on firefighting and cleanup operations. The closure comes as a blow to tourism in the area, with the park attracting nearly 620,000 visitors to the volcano’s crater in 2024 alone.

Thick smoke from the blaze is visible from the nearby Pompeii archaeological site, although officials confirmed that the UNESCO World Heritage landmark remains open to visitors.

Experts warn that Europe’s growing vulnerability to wildfires is being driven by increasingly severe summer heatwaves linked to climate change. With global temperatures continuing to rise, the risk of devastating blazes like this one is expected to escalate in the coming years.