Big fire on Monte Goi, near Como: 50 people evacuated and unbreathable air on the lake

On the afternoon of Thursday 13 August, a large fire developed along the slopes of Monte Goi (at an altitude of 460 metres), a wooded promontory nestled in the Spina Verde Regional Park, close to the high-density neighborhoods of Como. The strong gusts of evening wind violently fueled the fire, raising an imposing column of ash and burnt material which was pushed towards the city center and towards the nearby municipalities of Cernobbio and Moltrasio.

The gravity of the situation required the immediate intervention of the mayor Alessandro Rapinese, present on site to monitor the rescue efforts coordinated by the provincial fire brigade command. In the most dramatic hours of the night, the teams’ hard work avoided the worst, managing to protect and make safe a nursing home for disabled people close to the front of the fire.

Displaced by the toxic cloud and blocked roads

What created the greatest emergency for the residents was not only the direct danger of the fire, but the terrible quality of the air, which suddenly became dense and unbreathable. The first homes evacuated in the late afternoon were joined by other buildings during the night, bringing the total to 50 people evacuated. The Como Committee of the Italian Red Cross and the Civil Protection took action to provide initial assistance to the displaced. On the traffic front, the local authorities have established the total closure to traffic of via Madruzza and via Oltrecolle, a crucial road junction for the connection with the state road to Lecco.

An army of rescuers arrived from four regions

The containment device deployed on the field involves 130 firefighters, supported by dozens of firefighting volunteers. To put out the flames, reinforcements arrived from most of the Lombardy commands – with teams from Milan, Varese, Lecco, Lodi, Cremona, Sondrio and Mantua – together with operational modules sent from Liguria, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.

Canadair on the lake and outbreaks under control

From 7:00 am on Friday 14 August, ground operations are supported by the continuous overflight of two Canadair aircraft from the state air fleet and by fire-fighting helicopters. To allow the seaplanes to carry out water draft operations safely, control points have been placed in the body of water of the first basin of Lake Como, temporarily blocking recreational navigation. Although dense columns of smoke continue to rise from the vegetation due to active fires in the undergrowth, the fire line is currently reported as contained and under control.