Rome is on fire - this was the impression one could get on the Pentecost weekend, when the fire brigade in the province of the capital had to be called out more than 120 times within 24 hours.

Due to the heat that set in early this year, many green areas caught fire, which are currently strikingly yellow.

The fact that the fires break out in early June is an unusual phenomenon for a city that is usually confronted with it in July and August.

Christian Schubert

Economic correspondent for Italy and Greece.

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South of the city center, a 40-hectare plot of land with trees and bushes between Via Cristoforo Colombo and Via Laurentina near the EUR conference site burned down on Sunday.

The flames rose meters high right next to the busy thoroughfares.

On the Via Laurentina, the wind blew the smoke for hours onto the nearby apartment buildings.

Residents ran around with watering cans and buckets to put out the fire.

Two fire engines arrived with a considerable delay, but could not do much.

Finally, a fire-fighting helicopter with an external load container was deployed, which had to circle around for several hours until the fire was completely contained.

Fires find additional fuel from garbage

"Every year there are fires here, the city just doesn't take care of the green spaces," complained a resident.

In fact, public green spaces in Rome are often poorly maintained, with dried grass standing tall.

The fires spread easily in the undergrowth, especially when they find additional food through garbage.

Illegal dumping is a big problem.

The city and municipalities are currently discussing a waste incineration plant, but the Five Star Party, which is part of the government, opposes this for environmental reasons.

The day before, a bus burned down on the Via Laurentina.

Many city buses are old, poorly maintained and often catch fire, for example due to oil leakage.

When the fire brigade arrives, the vehicles are often already on fire.

Between 2016 and 2021, there were around 250 fires in Rome, the "Flambus", as the Italians call it.

Six such incidents have been recorded in the capital since the beginning of the year.