Italy is also facing a severe drought, mainly in the south, this year which is ravaging new crops. Farmers say it has cut yields on durum wheat now being harvested in Sicily, which is experiencing the worst water shortages in Italy, and threatens sugar beet production.

The cabinet unanimously accepted a proposal from Interior Minister Claudio Scajola to declare the state of emergency, which will enable it to authorise the urgent deployment of aircraft to dump water on fires.

"Minister Scajola said it was vital to be able to supply aircraft and personnel to face the prospect of more devastating forest fires," a cabinet statement said.

"He has therefore proposed a national state of emergency in order to use extraordinary measures," it added.

"The proposal was accepted unanimously by the cabinet."

Officials fear intense summer heat could stoke fires across vast stretches of countryside again this year.

In making his request for a state of emergency, Scajola said exceptional climatic conditions, no rainfall and record high temperatures had already wrecked vast areas of woodland.

Farm Minister Giovanni Alemanno said earlier this year that arsonists were to blame for most of Italy's forest fires.

Financial gain was the main motive for arson. Some arsonists intended to convert burnt woodland into pastures and others aim to adapt land to farm use in order to claim EU subsidies, according to the Farm Ministry.

The Interior Ministry said on its website at http://www.interno.it that forest fires had destroyed 2.7 million hectares of woodland in Italy over the past 20 years.