ROME

Four emergency responders were injured while attempting to extinguish a bushfire that broke out near the Italian capital Rome. 

The fire began in the Cinecitta neighborhood of Rome around midday on Wednesday, though the exact cause remains unknown, according to the local media.

One firefighter and three civil defense personnel suffered burns and were transported to local hospitals for treatment.

Efforts to contain the blaze led authorities to temporarily close nearby roads and evacuate homes in the surrounding areas as a precautionary measure.

In a written statement, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said that all resources were being mobilized to put out the fire, which also threatened nearby residential areas.

Separately, another wildfire erupted in the Castel Romano district outside the capital, prompting the evacuation of a large shopping center in the vicinity.

This year, Rome and its surrounding rural and forested areas have experienced several fires, some of which have posed significant threats to residential zones.