Italy Asks Europe For Firefighting Planes To Control Sardinia Fires

Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Facebook the country's civil protection authority had issued the request and said he was grateful for help that was already being sent.

Italy asked European states on Sunday to send firefighting aircraft to help tame fires that have swept across parts of the island of Sardinia, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people. Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Facebook the country's civil protection authority had issued the request and said he was grateful for help that was already being sent. "Two (aircraft) are on their way from France, which I officially thank," Di Maio said. Fires have raged across the province of Oristano in the central western region of the Italian island, burning thousands of acres of land, killing animals and damaging property.