"More than 400 tourists and beachgoers have been evacuated by sea, the only viable evacuation route," the coastguard said on its WhatsApp channel, adding that operations were ongoing.

Evacuees were being rescued from the area around the town of Peschici in the southern Puglia region.

A coastguard spokesman told AFP that around 300 more people were expected to be evacuated.

Six coastguard vessels, three boats from Italy's financial police and around 10 private vessels were involved in the operation, the coastguard said.

Images showed firefighters and a Canadair waterbomber battling the blaze, which was not immediately threatening homes in the town.

A huge plume of smoke could be seen from dozens of kilometres away.

"The situation is currently under control," Peschici mayor Luigi d'Arenzo was quoted as saying by local daily Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, adding that he believed the fires had been started intentionally.

“I am certain these are acts of arson because they were set in multiple locations", he told reporters.

Further south, the coastal town of Gallipoli suffered serious losses two days ago after a fire destroyed six hectares of pine forest and a beach resort.

Gallipoli mayor Flavio Fasano said he would request a state of emergency to provide support and government funds.

"Our first thoughts, full of solidarity, go to those who have lived through hours of terror", he said, singling out "the evacuated tourists, and the owners of Holiday Beach, who have seen forty-four years of sacrifice go up in smoke."

"We will formally request the Puglia Region and the Government to declare a state of natural disaster to unlock emergency funds, compensation, and tax relief to support the hardest-hit sectors."