How arsonists used cats to spread Italy’s wildfires
Cats as Fire Carriers: Arson Suspects Target Southern Italy with Cruel Tactic
Unusual Evidence Points to Deliberate Arson
Earthguardiansonline.com – As devastating wildfires swept through southern Italy during the current week, investigators uncovered a disturbing pattern suggesting deliberate arson. Among the most striking pieces of evidence were domestic cats discovered with rags soaked in flammable material securely fastened to their tails. Domenico Costarella, representing Calabria’s Civil Protection Agency, explained the mechanism in a video shared on Facebook on Tuesday: “These animals were released into the fields, running around and spreading the fire.” The frightened felines, carrying burning material, would dash across dry vegetation, igniting new spots and accelerating the spread of flames.
Additional indicators of human intervention emerged alongside the feline evidence. Investigators noted candles positioned among combustible rags and specialized delayed ignition devices designed to start fires at predetermined times. These findings collectively strengthened the case that the blazes were not entirely natural occurrences but rather the result of calculated human action.
Firefighting Operations Continue Amid Growing Crisis
Emergency crews remain actively engaged in containing the widespread fires surrounding Calabria’s Pollino National Park. Italian broadcaster RAI reported on Wednesday that firefighting teams had successfully completed more than 160 missions within Calabria over a single 24-hour period. The relentless efforts reflect the scale of the emergency and the challenging conditions faced by responders working to protect both communities and natural habitats.
Animal welfare organizations have responded swiftly to the crisis. According to SkyTG24, CNN’s Italian affiliate, the Italian Association for the Defense of Animals and the Environment has submitted a formal criminal complaint regarding the incident. The organization has also announced a 1,000 euro reward for anyone providing information that could identify those responsible for setting the cats ablaze and releasing them into the burning fields.
Climate Factors Fuel Europe’s Challenging Fire Season
Europe has experienced what experts describe as a particularly difficult fire season this year, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). The conditions that contributed to the current crisis began forming months earlier. A wet winter promoted abundant new vegetation growth across the continent. However, this fresh plant material subsequently dried out and became highly combustible fuel following three consecutive summer heatwaves that scorched much of Europe.
While 2026 has proven somewhat better than previous years for fire activity across Europe as a whole, the continent’s fire season remains above the 20-year historical average, EFFIS noted in its daily bulletin. The combination of increased vegetation and extreme temperatures has created ideal conditions for rapid fire spread, particularly in Mediterranean regions like southern Italy.
A Historical Pattern of Feline Arson
The practice of using cats to ignite fires is not unprecedented in southern Italy. Historical records reveal similar incidents in previous years. In 2016, Sicilian authorities attributed forest fires in a national park to organized crime groups employing cats as fire carriers. The following year, officials documented the same method being utilized to start fires outside Naples, in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius.
Lauren Pearson, a researcher at UC Berkeley, provided CNN with analysis last year indicating that Mafia organizations frequently employ arson as a strategy to establish territorial dominance. By deliberately burning land, these groups can subsequently purchase property at reduced prices before the value recovers. Pearson noted that in recent years, some organized crime networks have exploited Italy’s transition toward clean energy. One farmer who testified before an anti-Mafia commission in 2022 revealed that solar panel companies approached him to purchase his land after it had been burned, suggesting a coordinated effort to acquire property at discounted rates.
Societal Change Needed to Combat Arson
Sergio Nazzaro, a journalist and former spokesperson for the president of the Anti-Mafia Parliamentary Commission, explained that Mafia organizations leverage emergency situations through front companies. According to Nazzaro, these groups control everything “from the labor force that sets the fire to the concession to build on burned land.” This systematic approach allows criminal organizations to profit from disasters they help create.
In Calabria, Costarella emphasized that addressing the arson problem requires more than just enforcement—it demands a fundamental transformation in public attitudes. “We are getting back to work and returning to our posts, but we need a shift in mindset,” he stated. Reflecting on the cruelty of the recent incidents, Costarella added: “These are inhumane acts. Sadly, men are their own worst enemies.” The community now faces the dual challenge of containing the fires while working to prevent future deliberate ignitions through both legal measures and cultural change.
