News

Environment, in 4 months 340 fires destroyed 3.9 thousand hectares of vegetation

In Tuscany, between Pisa and Lucca, 500 hectares of forest were affected by fire between April and May 2026

by Davide Madeddu

9 May 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

500 hectares in smoke between Pisa and Lucca
A priceless capital
Technology

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Two fires a day. The countryside still reckons with flames.

Specifically, from 1 January 2026 to the latest available update of the European Forest Fire Information System, 'as of 4 May, 340 large fires have been detected on a national scale, affecting a total area covered by vegetation (forest, but also agricultural, herbaceous, shrub) of about 3.9 thousand hectares'.

In the first four months of this year, the area of forest ecosystems already affected by fire amounted to approximately 1900 hectares, corresponding to 49% of the total area affected by fire. The affected forest area includes 1,300 hectares of oak and mixed forests; about 300 hectares of holm oak, cork and high scrub forests; and about 300 hectares of coniferous forests.

500 hectares in smoke between Pisa and Lucca

This is underlined by an Ispra study, which also highlights another detail: in the province of Pisa, in the municipality of San Giuliano Terme, and in the province of Lucca, in the municipalities of Lucca and Capannori, in the period between 28 April and 2 May, about 500 hectares of land were covered by fire, 370 of which were forest cover.

According to Ispra estimates, the area most affected by the fire was the coniferous forest ecosystem, with approximately 200 hectares affected by fire. In addition, about 100 hectares of holm oak and chestnut forests were affected, with an area of about 70 hectares.

A priceless capital

"Our forests are a natural capital of inestimable value, because they protect biodiversity, contribute to climate regulation and guarantee ecosystem services that are indispensable for the community," said Maria Alessandra Gallone, president of Ispra and Snpa. "Their protection requires a continuous commitment based on knowledge, innovation and collaboration between institutions. For the president, "fire prevention and management cannot disregard a solid technical-scientific basis". In this context, "environmental surveillance represents not only a control, but an essential lever for a sustainable management of forest areas that contributes to building a culture of prevention and greater resilience of the territory".

Comparing the 2026 data with the statistics for the period 2019-2025, the total area covered by fire remained at minimum levels until the end of March. Since the beginning of April, there has been a gradual increase, with a peak corresponding to the Monte Faeta event, which brought the values of the area covered by fire to slightly above the average for the reference period. Forest areas affected by fire follow a similar trend.

The technology

Playing an important role in environmental monitoring and surveillance is technology, as Roberto Inghilesi, head of Ispra's Centre for Environmental Surveillance, emphasises: "The Institute's activities in the area of satellite monitoring and analysis of the impact of fires on natural ecosystems guarantee the scientific level required to assess trends and the possible consequences of climate change. A fundamental aspect of the assessments carried out on burnt areas is the evaluation of the resilience of forest ecosystems with respect to fire phenomena'.