Italy’s Mount Vesuvius, a popular tourist destination, closes over wildfire

Italian firefighters and the army are battling a wildfire on Mount Vesuvius that has burned over 500 hectares since Friday, forcing the closure of all hiking trails in the popular national park near Naples. Twelve firefighting teams, six Canadair planes, and reinforcements from other regions are working to contain the blaze, which is concentrated on the densely vegetated Mount Somma slopes. High temperatures, wind, and dry pine needles are fueling the flames, threatening local farms and vineyards, while prosecutors investigate the cause, CBS News has reported. The Vesuvius fire comes amid a wave of intense wildfires across Europe, including major blazes in Spain, France, and Greece, driven by extreme summer heat.