On the afternoon of 2 July 2020, an MH-212B helicopter, under the Second Helicopter Group, took off from the Aircraft Station (MARISTAELI) of Catania to intervene on four outbreaks that broke out in the Imboscata district, south of Caltagirone. The area affected by the fire was within the "Bosco di Santo Pietro" nature reserve.
The flight crew took off within an hour from the activation of the alarm by the Civil Protection and flew more than two hours, with an action to fight the stake during which they released about eight thousand liters of water, by means of the device called "bucket" attached to the ventral section of the helicopter. Thanks to the rapidity of the intervention, which limited the spread of the flames, the fire was put out within an hour.
As every year, the Navy contributes to the firefighting campaign of the Sicily Region, from 15 June to 15 September. The Navy flight crews have the peculiarity of being able to operate on the sea in complex air and naval operations, but they are also trained to fly in contexts far from the sea. Similar to what happens for the competition provided for the training and activities of the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS), the helicopters of the Navy will operate in support of the community even in contexts far from the sea.
