Lombardy said Monday it would
ask for a state of emergency to be declared for the wildfires
ravaging the region. "We will ask for a state of emergency,"
said civil protection regional councillor Simona Bordonali, at a
press conference after a meeting of the regional executive with
Governor Roberto Maroni. She said she would meet Interior
Minister Marco Minniti in Varese this afternoon. Bordonali said
fire teams were still fighting five fires near Varese,
Tavernerio near Como, Tremosine near Brescia, Veleso near Como
and Romagnese near Pavia, while a fire at Forcola near Sondrio
was being put out and another at Novate Mezzola near Sondrio had
been put out. She said the region's four helicopters were in
action along with three Canadairs, two Italian and one Croatian.
"This afternoon," the councillor said, "we will have another two
helicopters at our disposal, to which we can add two helicopters
from Switzerland, able to drop 4,500 litres of water at a time".
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