3 dead as wildfires scorch Italy

Rome:  At least three people died in Italy due to extensive wildfires raging in the country's southern regions, authorities said.

A man aged 77 died while trying to save his cattle, after his home was ravaged by a blaze near the town of Grotteria in the Calabria region, Xinhua news agency quoted the local authorities as saying on Thursday.

The town's mayor in cooperation with local emergency services issued an alert requiring asking not to leave their home until absolutely necessary, due to the vast fire front engulfing most of the borough.

Two other wildfires were threatening vast swathes of Calabria's Aspromonte National Park since early Wednesday including the renowned Santa Maria di Polsi sanctuary, cutting off the main road leading to the facility and forcing pilgrims and residents to flee, Ansa news agency reported on Thursday.

Three Canadair water-dropping planes plus a helicopter and five firefighter squads were deployed in the area, according to the national Civil Protection Department.

A second man aged 79 also died in the province of Reggio Calabria on Wednesday, while a 30-year-old farmer lost his life near Catania, Sicily, after being crushed by his own tractor while trying to extinguish the fire threatening his farm, according to Ansa.

The Civil Protection sent some 70 volunteers to Calabria and 150 to Sicily to help local firefighters.

In its latest update released after an emergency meeting late on Wednesday, the Civil Protection said they were asked to launch 32 operations in one day with Canadair planes in southern Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia, Basilicata, Apulia, and Campania regions as well as central Lazio region.

Firefighters have been deployed in 528 operations against bushfires across the country over the last 12 hours, the Fire Corp said on Thursday.