Rome mayor says fire may have been caused by illegal camp.

Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation into the cause of a large wildfire that broke out on the slopes of Monte Mario, a nature reserve in a northern suburb of the capital, on Wednesday.

The blaze, which was brought under control by firefighters on Wednesday evening, ravaged the wooded hill and led to the evacuation of nearby residential buildings and offices as well as RAI television studios and a space observatory.

Teams of firefighters used a Canadair plane and helicopters to battle the blaze which the city's mayor Robert Gualtieri says may have been caused by an illegal camp.

Paura a Roma per un vasto incendio sulla collina di Monte Mario. Le fiamme lambiscono le case e la cittadella della giustizia, evacuati anche gli studi della Rai di Via Teulada. I residenti: "Mai visto nulla di simile" pic.twitter.com/rG4Edupal4

— Tg3 (@Tg3web) July 31, 2024

In a post on X on Wednesday night, Gualtieri showed the charred remains of an electric generator and cooking utensils from a makeshift camp at the foot of the hill where "very probably, the fire started".

However the mayor stressed that "other hypotheses cannot be ruled out, including that of malicious intent", adding that he hopes the investigation will be "rigorous in identifying those responsible".

Sopralluogo alla Riserva naturale di #MonteMario per monitorare la situazione creata dall’ #incendio che è divampato oggi. Grazie davvero a vigili del fuoco, protezione civile di Roma Capitale, e a tutte le forze dell’ordine impegnate per la tutela della salute e della sicurezza… pic.twitter.com/FdVYGJykYf— Roberto Gualtieri (@gualtierieurope) July 31, 2024

The fire, one of many around Rome in recent days, broke out during a week in which a 'red alert' heatwave warning is in place in the Italian capital. 

Photo La Repubblica