Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) reported multiple wildfire-related incidents on 18-19 July, forcing temporary suspensions on key regional lines. The Viareggio–Prato corridor shut down late on 18 July near Pistoia, reopening at 22:20 on 19 July after judicial inspections. Earlier, a trackside blaze near Priverno halted traffic on the Rome–Formia-Naples axis until 18:40.citeturn3view0 Although long-distance high-speed services were rerouted, regional commuters faced knock-on delays of up to 90 minutes and several cancellations. Freight trains carrying perishable agri-food exports from Tuscany to northern Europe were held back, risking cold-chain breaks. Italy’s Civil Protection Department has issued red-flag fire-risk warnings for large parts of the Tyrrhenian corridor as temperatures hover around 39 °C. Trenitalia advised passengers to monitor its Infomobilità portal for last-minute changes. The incidents reignite the debate about vegetation management along rail rights-of-way; unions say budget cuts have slowed preventive clearing. For multinational firms shuttling staff between Florence and Rome, contingency plans such as chartered buses or flexible teleworking are recommended until wildfire season subsides.citeturn12view0
Source: RFI – Infomobilità
