SW News: Forest fires continue to spread in Calabria, southwest Italy, threatening a famous Marian sanctuary in the Aspromonte mountain range. The mountain town of Polsi where the shrine of the Madonna della Montagna or Our Lady of the Mountains is located has been cut off because of the raging blaze.

There are reports in local media that pilgrims who had gone to the Marian shrine were forced to turn back because of the flames. Visuals of the blaze and the thick clouds of smoke around Aspromonte National Park are circulating on social media.

Rector of the shrine Fr Tonino Saraco told Italian news agency ANSA that the church has been almost cut off. "The main road is blocked by the flames and the only access is through two secondary paths and one of it is a mule track," the priest said.

Firefighters are working round the clock to contain the flames. There are reports that a 76-year-old man died in the blaze near the Calabrian town of Grotteria on Wednesday. For several weeks, parts of southern Italy have been experiencing a heatwave that has sparked wildfires in Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia.

The shrine in Polsi is one of the most celebrated pilgrimage sites in Italy. Interestingly, the town is also the seat of the Calabrian mafia. The underworld dons visit this remote town for the feast of Our Lady in early September to recruit new members and strike deals.