Authorities have launched an investigation after signs emerged that a cat was used to spread a wildfire in the southern Italian region of Calabria, U.S. broadcaster CNN reported on the 22nd (local time).

According to CNN, investigators probing the spread of the wildfire discovered a cat with a rag soaked in flammable material tied to its tail.

Domenico Costarella of the Calabria civil protection agency stated, "These animals were released into the fields to spread the fire," claiming that the incident was an act of arson.

He added that lit candles and ignition devices were also found nestled among flammable-soaked rags in the forest.

According to CNN, using cats to start fires is not the first time such an incident has occurred in southern Italy.

In 2016, authorities in Sicily claimed that the mafia used cats to start wildfires in a national park, and reported the following year that the same method was used near Mount Vesuvius on the outskirts of Naples.

CNN previously reported that mafia syndicates sometimes resort to setting fires and subsequently purchasing the land.

Italian broadcaster Sky TG24 reported that an animal and environmental protection association has filed a complaint regarding the incident and offered a reward of 1,000 euros (approx. 1.7 million won) for information leading to the suspects who used cats to start the fires.

Italian public broadcaster RAI reported that firefighters participated in 150 firefighting operations across Calabria over the past 24 hours and are still struggling to contain flames near the Pollino National Park.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)