Fire fuelled by strong winds during hottest June day on record.

Rome firefighters battled a vast wildfire on the north-west outskirts of the city on Monday afternoon amid the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the capital in June.

The fire, which broke out in the Casalotti area near the Via Aurelia, devoured a large area of farmland and vegetation, leading to the emergency evacuation of a children's summer camp and a number of private homes.

Several people were treated for smoke inhalation.

A massive fire on the north-west outskirts of Rome sends ashes raining down on the city centre.
pic.twitter.com/Ic8DyWaz9Q

— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) June 27, 2022

The blaze was exacerbated after the explosion of 50 gas cylinders in storage and driven by high winds on a day when the city's temperatures topped 40°C, beating Rome's previous June record of 38°C in 2019.

Smoke from the fires blanketed the capital in a thick haze as ashes fluttered down over the city centre on Monday evening.

#Roma, #incendio Aurelia zona Massimina: prosegue intervento #vigilidelfuoco, fiamme abbassate ma ancora attive e alimentate dal vento che favorisce la ripresa. Squadre a protezione delle abitazioni [#27giugno 17:00] pic.twitter.com/MQDZ4j8cBO

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) June 27, 2022

"Today is a very difficult and critical day for Rome: unfortunately there have been several fires whose causes are being ascertained" - mayor Roberto Gualtieri wrote on social media - "The exceptional heatwave and gusts of hot wind have fuelled fires in various areas of the city."

Photo credit Casolotti Roma