Armed Forces engaged in Calabria and Sicily in the fight against forest fires

(To Greater Defense)
12/07/19

Extinguishing activities in the town of Torano Castello (CS) saw an AB412 helicopter belonging to the 2nd "Sirio" regiment of the Italian Army carrying out 22 releases in over two hours of flight and releasing about 14 tons of water.

In Sicily, helicopters of the Navy, the Air Force and the Carabinieri have intervened in over 5 areas of the island affected by large fires.

Yesterday afternoon an AB 212 helicopter of the Navy, belonging to the Second Group of the Catania Helicopter Station (Maristaeli Catania), intervened in the Catania area, due to a fire that spread to the beaches of the Playa. The helicopter made two different sorties for a total of about three hours of flight, making a total of 60 launches using the “Bambi Bucket”, equipment supplied for the transport and release of water in the areas affected by fires.

The interventions of the Italian Air Force with the use of an HH-139A helicopter, belonging to the 82 ° CSAR Center (Combat Search and Rescue) of Trapani Birgi, on 9 and 10 July, involved four areas: the Parco delle Madonie (PA), the Riserva dello Zingaro (TP), Boccadifalco (PA) and the area of ​​Castronovo di Sicilia (PA). In more than 12 hours of flight, 65 drops were made for a total of 44 tons of water.

An NH500 helicopter of the Carabinieri Mobile Corps grouped in the affected areas of the province of Palermo during the days of 9 and 10 in July, carrying out 3 flight hours and 31 dropping for a total of 15 tons of water.

The helicopters intervened are part of the assets of the Armed Forces that the Ministry of Defense has made available for this year's forest fire campaign (AIB), which began last June 15, which consolidates the collaboration, already in place for several years, between Armed Forces, National Fire Brigade Corps and Civil Protection (PROCIV) to make the fight against forest fires more effective and incisive.

For the 2019 summer season, the national fleet will be able to count on 31 aircraft during the period of maximum engagement, of which 22 of the National Fire Brigade Corps and 9 of the Armed Forces.

The commitment of the Armed Forces is part of the agreement stipulated between the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Protection Department within the framework of the AIB campaign, which provides for the establishment of the Unified Air Operations Center (COAU), as the coordinating body for the interventions in case of emergency.