Rovereto Carabinieri Investigate Forest Fire on Monte Finonchio

The Rovereto Carabinieri are wrapping up their investigation into the fire that on Tuesday afternoon destroyed several hectares of forest on the slopes of Monte Finonchio. The suspicions already hinted at yesterday are apparently confirmed. It seems that someone, perhaps unintentionally, was responsible for igniting the flames, yet their actions were sufficient to cause disaster.

Responses and effects of the fire

The fire was extinguished in about seven hours by approximately fifty firefighters who responded to the area between Scottini di Terragnolo and Serrada di Folgaria. The wind carried the flames several kilometers towards the ski slopes, which were closed as a precaution.

The first to arrive at the scene were the volunteer firefighters from Terragnolo, followed closely by those from Rovereto, who reached Scottini with tankers and smaller, more agile vehicles, ideal for navigating through the woods.

The fire, as previously stated, quickly grew to a devastating scale, alarming all volunteer units of Vallagarina. Firefighters from Folgaria, Calliano, Mori, Avio, Villalagarina, Brentonico, Besenello, Nomi, and Volano also joined the effort, rotating to fight the blaze. Essentially, all local agencies dispersed across the territory responded.

Spread of flames and volunteer response

The flames reached the ski slopes, Martinella and Cogola, which, despite being less frequented, were still closed. Snow helped contain the fire, but the trees, mostly dried out due to the recent drought, provided abundant fuel for the fire.

Volunteers and full-time personnel, supported by the helicopter from the Trento firefighters, worked tirelessly to prevent the flames from consuming the slopes of Monte Finonchio.

Investigations and hypotheses on the origin of the fire

And indeed, it was truly absurd, as already hinted at yesterday, that someone was responsible for sparking it. Perhaps a simple cigarette, but the involvement of an arsonist has not been ruled out; in fact, this was the most widely circulated hypothesis.

The Carabinieri, investigating the episode, are cautious in their statements. They have the impression that they may have identified the possible culprit, although, even if a pyromaniac is involved, no one witnessed the actual act of setting the fire, making prosecution difficult.

For now, the investigators’ report still states “investigations ongoing,” and uncovering more details at this moment is virtually impossible.