A total of 70 firefighters, together with Civil Protection volunteers were tackling the fire on the ground and using three helicopters.

Naples mayor called the blaze an "environmental disaster, [which has] destroyed our land, a crime against life. Endless pain."

Fires had been burning in the Mount Vesuvius national park for several days, but the situation became more critical on Tuesday when two of the fires joined together and spread, due to dry weather and winds.

Smoke clouds rose over one kilometer high and were visible from Naples, Sorrento, and Pompeii, the ancient Roman site which was destroyed in an eruption of Vesuvius.

Several homes, hotels and restaurants were evacuated as a precaution - including one wedding party. Meanwhile, the smoke had travelled across the whole metropolitan area of Naples, with one local resident telling The Local: "Smoke has invaded the entire Vesuvius area. It is difficult to breathe, even in Naples city."

IN PICTURES: Fire rages at Italy's Mount Vesuvius

The fires are believed to have been started by arsonists, according to forestry police, and prosecutors have opened a file against unknown persons.

"It is sad that criminals have to destroy the land in which we live and it is painful to receive daily messages from people unable to sleep,'' said Marco Ricci, a priest of a town close to Ercolano.

Speaking to news agency Ansa, Ricci called on Italian president Sergio Mattarella to approve the use of the armed forces in tackling the fires. Late in June, the priest had helped organize a march in the area to protest illegal waste dumping and toxic fires close to Mount Vesuvius.

A post shared by 🇬🇧VinnyDL🇮🇹 (@vinnydl) on Jul 11, 2017 at 4:32pm PDT

Italy has seen a huge number of fires, particularly wildfires, following months of lower than average rainfall and high temperatures, and the situation is most serious in the south. On Friday, there were 441 'active incidents' including 288 wildfires across the country, firefighters said.

Dozens of animals were killed in one fire in Sicily which destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland over the first weekend of July.</s>Rome, July 12 - Fire crews on Wednesday morning worked to contain vast wildfires that have raged since Tuesday on Mt Vesuvius, Naples, while more wildfires were reported across southern Italy. Carabinieri police, firefighters, regional officers and some 100 civil protection volunteers worked to contain the flames, along with three Canadair aircrafts and a helicopter, in the areas of Ottaviano, Trecase and Torre del Greco. One of the fires raging in the Naples area completely destroyed a local forest range precinct in Trecase, local officials said Wednesday. Regional protection authorities said a total of 927 fires have been reported between June 15 and July 10 this year in the Campania region around Naples, compared to 158 over the same period in 2016. Meanwhile in Sicily, wildfires that had been raging around Messina over the past three days were contained on Wednesday. Other wildfires were reported in Milazzo, Giardini and Gaggi and on the island of Lipari, where several hectares of land were burned by the flames. Local police are investigating whether the fires were caused by arsonists or by higher-than-average temperatures and dry terrain. Overall, firefighter crews as of Tuesday night had carried out 1,130 operations to contain wildfires across Italy, fire personnel said. Sicily registered the highest number of operations, 458, followed by the southern regions of Puglia with 241, Calabria with 226 and Campania with 221. The Lazio region around Rome recorded 214 such operations.</s>The flames continued to spread during the night. Photo: Marco/Meteorologo777

The mayor of Naples on Wednesday called for Italy to declare a national state of emergency as firefighters, continued to battle a huge blaze on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, while almost 300 wildfires raged across the country as a whole.

A total of 70 firefighters, together with Civil Protection volunteers were tackling the fire on the ground and using three helicopters.

Naples mayor called the blaze an "environmental disaster, [which has] destroyed our land, a crime against life. Endless pain."

Fires had been burning in the Mount Vesuvius national park for several days, but the situation became more critical on Tuesday when two of the fires joined together and spread, due to dry weather and winds.

Smoke clouds rose over one kilometer high and were visible from Naples, Sorrento, and Pompeii, the ancient Roman site which was destroyed in an eruption of Vesuvius.

Several homes, hotels and restaurants were evacuated as a precaution - including one wedding party. Meanwhile, the smoke had travelled across the whole metropolitan area of Naples, with one local resident telling The Local: "Smoke has invaded the entire Vesuvius area. It is difficult to breathe, even in Naples city."

The fires are believed to have been started by arsonists, according to forestry police, and prosecutors have opened a file against unknown persons.

"It is sad that criminals have to destroy the land in which we live and it is painful to receive daily messages from people unable to sleep,'' said Marco Ricci, a priest of a town close to Ercolano.

Speaking to news agency Ansa, Ricci called on Italian president Sergio Mattarella to approve the use of the armed forces in tackling the fires. Late in June, the priest had helped organize a march in the area to protest illegal waste dumping and toxic fires close to Mount Vesuvius.

Italy has seen a huge number of fires, particularly wildfires, following months of lower than average rainfall and high temperatures, and the situation is most serious in the south. On Friday, there were 441 'active incidents' including 288 wildfires across the country, firefighters said.

Dozens of animals were killed in one fire in Sicily which destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland over the first weekend of July.

But fires were also ravaging farmland in other parts of the country, with two serious incidents in Emilia Romagna on Monday. Rome's mayor, Virginia Raggi, said the number of forest fires in the municipality had almost quadrupled in the period since June 1st, compared to the same time last year. She said she had attended a meeting at Rome's prefecture on Monday "to discuss the measures to be taken to tackle this emergency". READ ALSO: Super-volcano under Naples shows signs of reawakening</s>Naples, July 13 - Italian army units have moved in to help fight huge arson-linked wildfires that have been raging on Mt Vesuvius for two days. Major Carlo Bianchi told ANSA "last night we blocked all the access roads to the National Park and we are patrolling the territory to flag new fires and stop any arsonists". The army moved in after a request from Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti. Meanwhile three French fire-fighting headed to Italy "to help our Italian colleagues" battle wildfires across the south of the country, European Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein said Thursday, saying they had been mobilised after the Italian civil protection department made an official request to the EU yesterday.</s>“You may not be Italian when you walk in, but you will be Italian when you walk out.”

That's according to Chris Loreto, who's organizing Festa Italiana – a day-long street party celebrating all things Italian.

Loreto said The Porcupine Dante Club has been doing a small version of the festival for the past few years for members.

“We've always said, we need to take this up a notch. We need to show our culture, show our traditions, and have everyone partake in the festive atmosphere that we enjoy doing as members of the Dante Club.”

On Sunday, July 30, the idea will become a reality, with grape-stomping, pig roast, spaghetti-eating contest, bocce, music and children's activities.

“In the Italian culture, this is called Tuesday. Everyone gets together and has a good time,” said Loreto.

Saturday, July 29 will feature the first annual Meatball Classic, a golf tournament organized by Linda Pasi and held at Spruce Needles Golf Club.

“I'm looking forward to the crowd, the noise – I love noise. I'm looking forward to seeing people partake in Italian food, Italian culture through the songs and the music, and just for a day, everybody being Italian.”

He said club members, whose families largely come from one part of Italy, are one big extended family.

“We're all the same – we're all loud, we all talk at the same time, everybody thinks we're arguing, but we're not.

“It's something you have to be a part of to experience.”

Hector Ciccone, president of the Dante Club, said the event is entirely free, open to everyone and family-focused.

He said Stars & Thunder fans should take note, as Festa Italiana will include a 50/50 draw.

“The limit might not be the same, but someone will be going home with some money,” said Ciccone.

Everyone is welcome, said the president.

“There seems to be a misconception that only Italians are involved with our activities, but most of our socials have invitations out to members and non-members. We want young and old, Italian, not Italian, maybe Italian for a day.”

The Club has partnered with Downtown Timmins Business Improvement Association, and will include Urban Market vendors in the Festa, which will be held on Cedar Street South in front of the Dante Club.

“We're catering mostly to families. We want it to be something where people will come and stay and enjoy and participate,” said Ciccone.

The Festa is rain or shine - and could become an annual event.

“Other southern Ontario clubs do put on performances and events like this, but it's an event that we talked about and put on the back burner. This year, we're putting it on the front burner,” he said.

Ciccone said Italian culture has remained strong in Timmins because of heart, passion and dedication.

“We like to enjoy life and celebrate and just make the most out of every moment.

“It's just something that we do naturally and we're going to try and make that a contagious thing.”

The street party will be held on July 30 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.</s>In the nineteenth century, the generation of Italians who came to London turned Clerkenwell and Soho into Little Italys and established themselves mainly through the ice cream trade. Nowadays, with more than 75,000 Italians coming to the capital between 2011 and 2016, the Italian community has diversified, so you’re as likely to bump into us working in tech or finance as you are in a restaurant or wine bar.

Our cultures have shared a special bond for hundreds of years, and I like to compare us Italian millennial expats to the young British aristocrats on their grand tours of the bel paese back in the 1700s and 1800s. For our part, we’re here for the exciting vibe and the international personality of this amazing city. And London has always given us a warm welcome, valuing our quintessentially Italian creative flair, quick thinking and fine taste! Martina Melli

Did you know? We Italians would never, ever say ‘spaghetti bolognese’. It’s ‘spaghetti alla bolognese’, and we hate it when you 

say it wrong!

Campania is a lovely little southern Italian resto in Columbia Road. I still dream of their stringozzi pasta with speck, aubergine and ricotta.

Italian artisan traditions meet contemporary street food at Mercato Metropolitano. Its massive indoor and outdoor spaces make it a must-visit!

If I crave proper Italian gelato, I head to Borough Market and treat myself to a smooth and creamy ice cream at 3Bis. It’s the best in London.

I’m from Rome, so I can’t help but be crazy about Said: London’s branch of the Roman chocolate factory founded in 1923. They make hot chocolate the way it’s meant to be: thick and rich.

This Sunday (July 16) it’s the annual Italian parade in Clerkenwell. Since the 1880s the procession has celebrated the heritage of the local church and community with music, religious statues and floats plus food stalls, lots of flags and Italian being spoken – loudly!

The best of Italian London, according to you

‘Anima e Cuore in Camden: the pasta is made in front of you and it’s the real deal.’ Karen d’A via Facebook

‘Fumo, in St Martin’s Lane: it’s where I feel at home, where I believe London meets Italy perfectly.’ Natália B via www.timeout.com

‘Princi in Soho is a proper Milanese joint. Stylish and decadent.’ Gesù B via Facebook

Now here’s our pick of London’s best Italian restaurants</s>600 people who were on holiday in the Sicilian town of Calampiso had to be rescued by boat after wildfires spread to the area.

Fishermen and boat owners were asked to help evacuating more than 600 tourists who were on holiday in the resort of Calampiso, in the San Vito Lo Capo village near Trapani.

The tourists have been momentarily relocated to a school and hotels in San Vito Lo Capo as they are unable go back to their rooms and apartments. Some have decided to cut their holiday short and return home.

Italian news agency Ansa has reported that no damage has been caused to structures and properties but the smell of smoke is still strong and the evacuated tourists won’t be able to return to the Calampiso resort until Saturday, 14 July. Authorities are currently assessing whether there is damage to the area’s electrical, hydraulic and communication systems.

Italian firefighters, along with the military, are involved in the huge operation of extinguishing the blaze.

The wildfires are currently engulfing a huge area of southern Italy, with the worst affected being near Mount Vesuvius, in the Campania region. Authorities believe the fires have been set intentionally and a man has been arrested.

A state of emergency has been declared in the Vesuvius area, with more fires detected in the regions of Sicily, Puglia, Sardinia and Calabria.

Around 900 firefighters have been deployed in 1,200 missions to extinguish and contain the wildfires.

The Vesuvius National Park is being patrolled and all access to the area has been blocked to contain the fires and look for arsonists.

Italian Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti has announced the possibility of increasing the number of military authorities in the affected areas.

Temperatures in southern Italy have reached the 40 degrees celsius this summer, after a period of very little rainfall, leaving the nearby vegetation very dry and vulnerable to fires.
Wildfires devastate the Italian provinces of Messina, Naples, Enna and Rome. The Vesuvius National Park is reportedly completely destroyed by flames and ash. Italian police claim the fires are the work of arsonists.