How the Mafia is Profiting from Southern Italy’s Wildfires

How the Mafia Is Weaponizing Wildfires in Southern Italy

Every year, thousands of wildfires ravage southern Italy, fueled by scorching temperatures and the hot, dry winds sweeping in from the Sahara. While the climate crisis intensifies these fires, new research suggests the Mafia may be fueling them for their own gain.

A Growing Crisis

Southern Italy has always experienced wildfires, but recent years have seen more frequent and devastating blazes. In 2021, Sicily alone faced over 8,000 fires, exacerbated by temperatures that soared to 120°F (49°C). These wildfires have prompted investigations, including by the regional Anti-Mafia Commission, which found that criminal activities, especially by the Mafia, are one of the most dangerous contributing factors.

Mafia Control Over Wildfires

Mafias in southern Italy are not just controlling the land; they are “weaponizing” fire, according to UC Berkeley researcher Lauren Pearson, who spent months investigating Mafia influence in Sicily. Pearson explains that the Mafia uses fire both as a tool for intimidation and as a financial opportunity. While it’s difficult to directly link organized crime to every wildfire due to their secretive nature, evidence points to a strong connection between the two.

How the Mafia Profits from Fires

Mafias profit from fires in several ways:

1. Emergency Response Contracts: Fires create a crisis that must be resolved, leading to firefighting and cleanup contracts.
2. Land Deals: After fires destroy land, the Mafia can secure land for redevelopment or other ventures. Some reports suggest they’re even using fires to procure land for solar and wind infrastructure, tapping into clean-energy transition funds.
3. Labor Exploitation: Seasonal workers and farmers may intentionally start fires to extend firefighting contracts or to clear land for agricultural purposes, while others with vendettas may set fires for personal reasons.

The Mafia’s Double Agenda

The Mafia’s use of fire serves two main purposes:

1. Power: Fires act as a form of intimidation, signaling to locals that the land is still under Mafia control.
2. Profit: Beyond firefighting contracts, the Mafia controls the post-fire cleanup and can profit from land speculation, particularly in areas hit by repeated fires.

The Link Between Wildfires and Mafia-Controlled Regions

Southern Italy, home to the four major Mafia groups, is where most of the fires occur. In 2023, over half of Italy’s nearly 3,700 fires took place in regions like Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, and Campania, areas historically associated with Mafia activity. The frequent occurrence of fires in these areas raises suspicions of either Mafia involvement or retaliation.

Fire and the Exploitation of Climate Change

The Mafia seems to be exploiting the climate crisis to fuel their activities. As temperatures rise and fire seasons grow longer and more intense, criminal groups are adapting, seeing wildfires as opportunities to increase their wealth and power. The irony is that while the Mafia is exacerbating the climate crisis by encouraging destructive fires, they also seem poised to profit from clean-energy transition funds intended to fight climate change.

Challenges in Combating Mafia-Driven Fires

One of the major difficulties in tackling Mafia-influenced fires is the lack of direct evidence linking criminal organizations to individual blazes. According to Andrea Zoppi, deputy prosecutor in Palermo, Sicily, while there is no concrete evidence of Mafia involvement in specific fires, there is ample evidence that forest fires often lead to land speculation, which the Mafia capitalizes on.

Additionally, Italy’s laws designed to discourage arson, such as barring development or grazing for several years after a fire, are often difficult to enforce due to insufficient tracking and monitoring resources.

The Role of Firefighting Resources

Pietro Ciulla of the World Wildlife Fund Italy argues that while resources are focused on firefighting efforts, there is insufficient strategy in place for fire prevention or reforestation. This gap in strategy makes it easier for the Mafia to infiltrate the region and capitalize on the aftermath of wildfires.

The Weaponization of Climate Change

As global temperatures continue to rise, the Mafia may find it even easier to use fire for their own purposes. Lauren Pearson believes there is a weaponization of climate change happening in southern Italy, where organized crime groups exploit both the worsening fires and the funding meant to combat them.

Conclusion

The Mafia’s manipulation of wildfires in southern Italy is a troubling example of how criminal organizations exploit both environmental and societal issues for financial gain. As the climate crisis accelerates, the Mafia is adapting and using fire not only as a weapon of terror but also as a means to control land, influence local economies, and profit from the chaos they create.

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