Of course, it was not. Several large forest fires, which with near certainty were deliberately set by criminals, raged uncontrolled through the National Park for several days before Civil Protection could finally declare to have them under control today.
Not only destroyed the fires an estimated 100 hectares of beautiful forest, damaged the park's headquarters and many other properties, but also killed countless animals, poisoned the air in the area and led to a gigantic pollution. [less]

It has been known for quite a while now that Vesuvius in its past has had a number of even more violent eruptions than the one that destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD, including the one now in the media, a Plinian eruption about 3800 years ago, destroying Bronz-Age settlements. But quite like the volcano Vesuvius has its cycles of activity (it's now in a dormant phase), there seems to be a cyclic process in the media that once every so long, Vesuvius must be portrayed as the killer volcano that might blow tomorrow.

The truth is that there is NO indication whatsoever that another big bang is likely to occur in any near future at Vesuvius these days. No reason to panick, no reason to address it with exaggerated headlines.

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