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Wildfires: Olive trees 'like a natural bomb'

In Calabria, southern Italy, olive oil farmers are working together to fight wildfires.Their livelihoods are under threat.

Vincenzo Cossari, whose family runs a large olive farm in Badolato, says the fires have been happening every summer for a long time and always started by someone's carelessness.

He described the olive trees as: "Like a natural bomb - full of oil". In high winds, they can burn very quickly. He says the wildfires have created an "emergency" in his region that has forced around 40 farmers to band together and fight the fires themselves. The farmers can often get water to the scene quicker and know the land better than local fire services.

Picture: An olive tree catches fire in Calabria Credit: Nicola Cossari

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2 minutes