Less than a year after the maxi fire broke out in four different places along the coast of San Cataldonavy of Leccelast July 25th, the umpteenth, has affected in the last few hours the nature reserve e WWF oasis of Cesinein the Municipality of Vernole. On Sunday afternoon, tongues of fire engulfed the vegetation in two different points of the natural area, engaging all the teams of the Provincial Command of the fire fighters of Lecce and the detachments of the provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto such as Maglie and Manduria, supported by the volunteers of the Civil Protection and the operators of Arif, the regional agency for irrigation and forestry activities. Drones and Canadairs were also in the field.
Commander Roberta Lala, what is the outcome of the fire that broke out on Sunday afternoon in the Le Cesine nature area?
“For the Cesine we have estimated 60 hectares destroyed between Mediterranean scrub, reeds and woods. While for the Punta Cassano marsh, in the San Foca area, we count another 15”.
Can we say that the summer season that has just begun has already put the strength of the Provincial Fire Brigade Command to the test?
“We started with interventions of this type exactly on May 22nd and yesterday – Sunday, ed. – we had perhaps the most serious episode. Unfortunately, I believe that compared to last year the fire season in the province of Lecce has started much earlier than in the past. What we are seeing is a worsening due to the continuous abandonment of uncultivated land and countryside. There is a lack of cleaning of the land and there is also a lack of controls that continue not to be carried out by those who have to do forecasting and prevention. And we find ourselves to be the last bastion to face phenomena of this type with the minimal resources that we find ourselves with. From this point of view it does not look like an easy season”.
Yet, the ordinances issued by local authorities act as a deterrent in the fight against fires.
«Yes, both the Municipalities and the Region make their ordinances without having immediate feedback on them».
So does it still make sense for mayors to continue to sign these ordinances?
“Yes. The ordinances that citizens and institutions should follow are very useful. It’s a bit like the application of the Highway Code. The Highway Code must be applied, then there are checks to verify whether or not, but in general when we drive we all respect it. So, fundamentally, I think it’s also a cultural issue: if someone doesn’t do something, it has repercussions on the whole system. We need to make people understand how much an action affects the whole system. Yes, the ordinances should be enforced, but as for everyone, I imagine it’s complex, with the few resources available, to be and control every part of the territory. Perhaps, at this point, we should intensify checks to get everyone in the same direction”.
Lack of personnel, insufficient means, scarcity of resources. Have you already asked for an implementation of units and tools to eradicate the phenomenon of fires in Salento?
“To tell the truth, this is a request that I made when I took office, in December 2023. And recently I also took action with the prefect, requesting reinforcements especially for the summer months: from May to October is the most delicate period of the year for us. So I asked for an increase in both men and resources to deal with what is a real emergency for the province of Lecce, a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly important.”
Speaking of personnel, how many men can you count on at the moment?
“We have a staff of about 250 units but at the moment I can count on less than 190 units that I can use to deal with fires that are not enough: we have about 50 units per shift, which are 4 in total. These fifty are not able to act on the entire provincial territory. It is difficult to manage.”
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