Following the Council of State's cancellation of the tender for the management of the Canadair aircraft, announced by the Ministry of the Interior, the Sardinia Region wrote to the Ministry of the Interior to request "guarantees on service."
According to Villa Devoto, the Sardinia Region's Councillor for Environmental Protection , Rosanna Laconi , "has sent the Minister of the Interior a formal request for clarification on the structure of the national Canadair fleet in view of the upcoming 2026 forest firefighting campaign (AIB)."
The letter – also addressed, for information, to the Department of Fire Brigade and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department of Civil Protection – follows, as mentioned, the ruling of the Council of State.
"In the days immediately following the ruling," the Region explains, "the Department, through the General Directorate of Civil Protection, activated and maintained a constant channel of communication with the National Department of Civil Protection, monitoring the development of the situation and assessing the impact on the national operational framework. This Directorate is responsible for regional fire prevention planning and coordination with state bodies. Reassuring indications regarding the operational continuity of the national air defense framework for the 2026 AIB season were received and reiterated over time. These indications, however, have not yet been formalized. For this reason, as the summer season approaches, the Department deemed it necessary to request official feedback from the administration responsible for the service."
"Sardinia is an island territory with a very high risk of fires," states Councilor Laconi, "and the deployment of Canadair aircraft, particularly at the Olbia operating base, represents an essential and irreplaceable safeguard . Since the ruling was filed, we have established a structured channel of dialogue with the National Department of Civil Protection, which has provided reassurances regarding the continuity of service. As the summer season approaches, these recommendations must be formally confirmed."
"During discussions with the National Department of Civil Protection," the Region continues, "reassuring information was also obtained regarding potential critical issues related to aviation fuel supplies, in light of the ongoing international crisis: classifying forest firefighting as a public utility service would ensure its priority even in complex scenarios."
In the note sent to the Ministry of the Interior, the councilor recalls the framework of institutional competences and asks to know the initiatives that the Government intends to adopt, pending the decisions resulting from the ruling, to ensure full coverage of the AIB 2026 campaign and, in particular, the operation of the Canadair fleet at the bases identified thus far, including the one in Olbia .
"The safety of citizens, the protection of environmental heritage, and the safety of workers engaged in the firefighting effort," Councilor Laconi concludes, "require formal and timely certainty. The Region is ready to do its part, but it is essential that the national framework be clearly defined and within a timeframe compatible with the start of the AIB season."
(Unioneonline)