ROME- Tourists and locals have been forced to flee to beaches as forest fires have wreaked havoc this week in Gallura in North Sardinia. With the red alert announced by the Regional Civil Defense, it has been reported that two blazes have been raging in the resort area of Gallura, fed by the strong winds and the recent heatwave. The blazes have approached villages, hotels and have also damaged houses. Rescuers have had to evacuate houses, an entire hotel complex, and a tourist resort on a precautionary basis, moving up to 300 tourists and locals on to the Costa Corallina beaches.

The first fire broke out at around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in San Teodoro, with the other blaze beginning 30 minutes after in Porto Istana. The Forestry Department, firefighters, volunteers and Civil Defense came to the scene to extinguish the fires. The blaze from San Teodoro has been partially contained thanks to the efforts of three helicopters and two water bombers.

According to the first damage reports, approximately 70 hectares of Mediterranean scrub has been ravaged by the fires. “The fire is under control and nobody has been injured,” said the Director of the Tempio Province Forestry Inspectorate, Giancarlo Muntoni, “but two houses have been destroyed by the blaze.” According to local authorities, it is too early to calculate the costs of the damage incurred. The Forestry Department are investigating the causes of the blazes, and do not rule out wilful misconduct.

For now, the Olbia-Costa Smeralda airport remains unaffected.