Soaring temperatures and a prolonged drought have triggered wild fires across the Mediteranean island of Sicily.<br /><br />The latest is a huge blaze threatening a UNESCO World Heritage site called the Valley of the Greek Temples.<br /><br />The extent of damage is unclear.<br /><br />While its cause still has yet to be determined, elsewhere the Sicilian authorities launched an investigation into suspected cases of arson.<br /><br />Fifteen volunteer firefighters in the town of Ragusa have been arrested for allegedly starting fires to earn commission from putting them out.<br /><br />Suspicions were raised when the group responded to 120 incidents when other units were called out to just 40.<br /><br />Antonino Morabito, author of 2017 “Legambiente report on wild fires in Italy”:<br /><br />“The causes (of wildfires) are typical of the Mediterranean rural area: there are those related to normal agricultural practices but then there are fraudulent reasons, like poor forest maintenance covered up with a deliberately started fire.<br />Then there is poverty….temporary firefighters paid by the hour . There is a temptation to start a blaze just to be employed…just like it sadly happened in the past few days.”<br /><br />Err..paying firefighters per fire put out is a bad idea. #FirefightersGuild #CharcoalWednesday #Pratchett #Discworld https://t.co/KpyRPaB2ER— RobJFH (@RobJFH) August 7, 2017<br /><br />There are reports of more than 40 active fires across Sicily. As with the rest of southern Europe this year’s summer heat is proving particularly challenging.<br />
