A major fire broke out last Friday, August 7th, near Lake Garda, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. Over 200 people had to be evacuated and were later allowed to return to their homes, but the blaze is not fully extinguished yet.

The wildfire started at night in Alto Garda, in the Tignale mountains on the western shore of the lake. Firefighters, civil protection teams, volunteer fire crews and forest carabinieri inspected holiday homes in the area to make sure no one was still inside.

Residents and tourists staying at holiday homes and the La Forca residence were evacuated, and no injuries were reported.

Firefighters initially struggled to contain the blaze because winds of up to 40 kilometers per hour were rapidly changing the direction of the flames. Dry vegetation, after weeks of drought, also contributed to spreading the fire.

Extreme temperatures have exacerbated drought conditions in northern Italy, as well as other parts of the country — water levels have dropped in major lakes and rivers, and more than 100 municipalities in Piedmont and Lombardy are facing water shortages.

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Around 11pm on Sunday night, firefighters had to intervene at Costa di Gargnano, near Lake Garda, too, Giornale di Brescia reported, to tame the start of another fire, rapidly putting out the blaze.

The mayor of Tignale, Daniele Bonassi, asked residents and tourists to limit water consumption to essential purposes. Water scarcity in the area has made the situation more critical, forcing firefighters to take water from private pools to put out the fires.

Two Canadair water-bombing aircraft helped control the blaze together with regional helicopters, repeatedly dropping water on the affected areas.

The fire was mostly contained over the weekend, allowing those evacuated to return to their homes, but about 50 hectares of forests have burned.

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Bonassi thanked firefighters and everyone involved in the emergency response for their efforts. “It was very hard, demanding work, but conducted with great care, which ensured no one got hurt,” he said.

However, the mayor said the emergency is not over, and firefighters continue to monitor the area, as some smaller fires reignited last night due to the heat and wind.