A major forest fire broke out on Friday evening in the municipality of Tignale, with firefighters still battling a blaze that remains out of control. Italy is simultaneously grappling with a heatwave and red alerts.
More than 200 people, including numerous tourists, have been evacuated due to a large forest fire raging near Lake Garda in northern Italy. The fire broke out on Friday evening in the municipality of Tignale on the western shore of Italy's largest lake, one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
The fire service, Vigili del Fuoco, reported that the flames spread rapidly overnight through the mountainous area above the shore. As a precaution, dozens of tourists staying in a holiday resort, as well as residents of several vacation homes, were evacuated. According to Italian newspaper Il Giorno, a hotel and five holiday cottages were emptied.
Numerous emergency teams had not managed to contain the fire by Saturday morning, August 8. "Efforts are currently focused on stopping the spread of the fire and protecting several residential structures," the fire service said. The extinguishing efforts are hampered by strong winds and steep cliffs along the lake, making it difficult for ground crews to reach the flames.
Aircraft and firefighting helicopters are also involved in the operation. Firefighters confirmed in a social media post that operations are continuing in the Tignale area, in the province of Brescia.
Italy has been battling a prolonged heatwave for weeks. Temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. Due to health risks associated with extreme heat, red alerts are in effect in nearly all major Italian cities. Meanwhile, water levels in the Po River, Italy's longest river, have dropped sharply. High temperatures are expected to persist until mid-August.
This fire is part of a broader wave of wildfires affecting southern Europe. In early July, fires destroyed at least a thousand hectares of nature in southern France, and by the end of the month, tens of thousands of evacuated French residents returned home after the situation was brought under control. Spain declared a state of emergency due to fires on July 24, 2026, which was lifted on July 30, 2026.
