The extinguishing phase has been completed and the monitoring phase is now in progress, the Bellinzona fire brigade announced. Due to the dryness in the region, the nature of the terrain and the peculiarities of ground fires, the fire cannot yet be finally declared extinguished. There is still a possibility that fires will flare up again.
The fire brigade on Monte Gambarogno was on fire for around two weeks. The forest fire broke out above Lake Maggiore on the penultimate Sunday. On the same day, residents of the nearby border town of Indemini were evacuated. The border crossing to Italy and the cantonal road through the forest fire area were also closed for safety reasons.
Residents of Indemini were able to return to their homes last Friday. According to the website of the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security, the crossing to Italy is open again.
The cause of the forest fire is negligent arson, as the Ticino canton police announced last week. Two young men bivouacked on the Alpe di Neggia allegedly failed to put out a fire properly before going to sleep. The two Swiss-Germans were temporarily arrested and questioned, but are now free, according to the police.