The fire, which in the previous days seemed contained, has gained ground. The fire that has been burning for days on Mount Amariana, in Carnia (a mountainous area of Friuli Venezia Giulia), is not retreating: on the contrary, it is advancing. Three helicopters and a Canadair have been dumping water non-stop for days, but the flame front continues to spread ever more rapidly towards the valley, threatening homes and infrastructure closely.
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The authorities have ordered the precautionary evacuation of Pissebus, a hamlet in the municipality of Tolmezzo (Udine). During the night the flames reached about 50 meters from the first houses. An initial reception was set up in the municipal gym, while citizens and farmers intervened with tankers and tractors to support the rescue teams.
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The fire front
Two helicopters from the Regional Air Service operate on Mount Amariana, a Canadair (CAN 12), an L-11 helicopter from the State Air Fleet and the Air Tractor Fire Bosses sent from Slovenia, with ground liaison officers and a drone team. On the ground, operations are coordinated by the DOS of the Paluzza forestry station, with Civil Protection volunteers. High and medium voltage power lines remain deactivated.
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Other fronts remain active in the region: Monte Palavierte, above Illegio, under constant monitoring; Monte Cozzarel in Chiusaforte, where a helicopter coordinated by the DOS of Moggio Udinese operates with the support of the Gemona del Friuli team, and where operations will continue tomorrow morning; Monte Naiarda in Forni di Sotto and Monte Nero, in Val Saisera, above Tarvisio, both of which regained strength yesterday afternoon, here a flyover and the assembly of a large draft tank by the Malborghetto volunteer firefighters is planned.
Attention remains high on Mount Dobis, where the origin of the fire is probably arson. Elsewhere, however, such as on Mount Amariana, the cause was probably lightning.
The air you breathe
The recommendations issued by the Region concern 17 municipalities whose citizens are asked to limit the time spent outdoors, keep doors and windows closed, suspend intense physical activity, wear FFP2 or FFP3 masks if it is essential to go out, and pay particular attention to children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.
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The data confirm the seriousness of air pollution: according to findings by Arpa Fvg with an optical particle counter, in Pissebus the concentration of PM10 reached 416-442 µg/m³ at 7.39 this morning, and in Illegio it reached 365 µg/m³ at 11.00, values well above the reference threshold of 1,000 particles/litre (diameter greater than 1.1 micrometres) which Arpa considers critical in the event of fire. Even the winds don’t help: during the night and in the early hours of the morning the fumes stagnate at the valley floor, and then disperse towards the north and north-east with the increase in solar radiation.
The damages
About seventy heads of livestock have already been made safe. The Region is working to guarantee the continuity of animal feeding and to prepare interventions for the damage suffered by agricultural companies. The tools to access the national state of emergency and the related funds have also been activated, while the Region announces compensation measures for the damages and support for the affected economic activities. The situation, the authorities warn, remains evolving.
