Forest fire campaign 2025
The campaign starts on June 15 and ends on October 15
To launch the Forest fire campaign 2025, the Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies, Nello Musumeci, has provided the Regions, Autonomous Provinces, and relevant ministers with the usual document for the "identification of the timing and recommendations for a more effective fight against forest fires, in urban-rural interface areas and the consequent risks." The aim is to take all necessary actions to prevent and manage this phenomenon. The document outlines the tasks, responsibilities, and steps to be taken by the relevant entities and administrations for effective action and coordination of the forces on the ground. The Civil Protection Department coordinates the state's firefighting air fleet through the Joint Air Operations Centre – COAU and disseminates operational procedures to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces for requesting air assistance to support regional devices.
For 2025, Minister Musumeci, delegated by the President of the Council of Ministers, outlines recommendations for efficiently combating forest fires, interface fires, and associated risks addressed to Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
The recommendations outline key areas for action by various system components to better manage the upcoming forest fire season. This takes into account the performance of the 2024 campaign, which, although not particularly severe or extensive, highlighted situations that require a systematic approach, with the primary objective of ensuring citizen safety. In this context, the importance of investing in awareness activities is emphasized. These activities should engage and educate communities about the risks of forest fires, thereby enhancing their capacity for self-protection.
A further point of attention is the safety of firefighting operators, which should be achieved not just through high-performance personal protective equipment but also through thorough and timely training.
The Recommendations also focus on enhancing scientific tools to assess predisposing risk conditions and ensure a prompt response in case of an event.
In the Recommendations, therefore, the importance of increasing efforts in forecasting (with an emphasis on non-structural), prevention, planning, and active forest firefighting is emphasized.
The state's air fleet assets are managed by the Joint Air Operations Centre – COAU of the Civil Protection Department. Various factors, including climate and weather forecasts, the national forest fire bulletin, historical statistics, the size and location of the regional fleet, and the availability of water sources, determine the deployment of the fleet. These deployments can be adjusted in response to high-criticality situations.
In the peak period, the air fleet will be deployed throughout the country and in particular in the bases of Genova, Casarsa della Delizia (PN), Rimini, L'Aquila, Viterbo, Rieti, Roma-Urbe, Ciampino, Napoli-Capodichino, Pontecagnano-Salerno, Bari, Crotone, Lamezia Terme, Reggio Calabria, Catania, Sigonella, Trapani, Cagliari, Decimomannu and Olbia.
In the event of a fire, the ground teams, coordinated by the regions, are the first to respond. If the fire is too large and the ground teams cannot control it, the directors of suppression operations (DOS) may ask for help from the Region's air assets, particularly helicopters. If these assets are insufficient, the Region, through SOUPs and/or Regional Operations Centers, can request assistance from the state air fleet through the COAU. The request for air support follows specific procedures set by the Department.
Each year, the Regions and Autonomous Provinces update the Forest Fire Plan (AIB) with details regarding the arrangement of forecasting, prevention, and active fight activities to harmonize the regional capacity with the state's contribution and optimize a mutual synergy.
Particular focus is also given to foreign interventions. The significant forest fires that have taken place in recent years, particularly in Mediterranean countries, have necessitated the deployment of the state's firefighting fleet beyond national borders. This has been possible through mutual support mechanisms developed within Europe or bilateral agreements.
For the 2025 forest fire campaign, the state's air fleet during the peak period from July 1 to September 5, 2025, includes 15 CL415 Canadair aircraft and 4 Erickson S64F helicopters.
In addition, in highly critical situations, aircraft co-funded by the European Commission under the "rescEU" Project may also be deployed within the country.
The Canadair fleet is reinforced by an additional 11 helicopters from the Defense sector, the National Fire and Rescue Service, and Carabinieri.