Safety in the Madonie: emergency numbers, rescue and risks

In the Madonie, in an emergency, you call 112: it is free, and for a mountain accident the operator alerts 118 and the Mountain and Cave Rescue service. For a fire or an environmental hazard the number is 1515, the Forestry Corps. Before you set off check the mountain forecast and warnings, carry water and a downloaded map, and tell someone where you are going: that is what prevents most rescues.

At a glance

• Any emergency: 112.
• Fires and environmental damage: 1515, Forestry Corps of the Sicilian Region, 24 hours a day.
• Traffic and roads: 1518 from CCISS and the roads page.
• Alert app: GeoResQ (CNSAS and CAI), free.
• Hospitals: Petralia Sottana (Madonna dell’Alto) and Cefalù (Fondazione Giglio).
• Trail difficulty: the CAI scale, explained in our article on the CAI scale and safety.

Useful numbers in the Madonie

This table lists the numbers to save on your phone before you leave.

Number	When to call	Who answers
112	any emergency: accident, illness, missing person, fire, crime	Single emergency number, which routes calls to 118, Mountain Rescue, Fire Brigade, Carabinieri, Police
1515	forest fire, smoke, environmental damage	Forestry Corps of the Sicilian Region
1518	traffic, closed roads, road accidents	CCISS Viaggiare Informati

Sources: Regional School Office for Sicily (112), Sicilian Region (1515), CCISS (1518).

In western Sicily 112 has been active since 21 May 2019: the control room covers the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento.

How to call for help in the mountains

1. Call 112 and say at once that you need medical help in mountain or rough terrain.
2. Give your position: trail name, last recognisable point, altitude if you know it. Your phone’s coordinates are the most useful thing.
3. Describe what happened, how many people there are, who is injured and how.
4. Stay reachable: do not switch off your phone, do not move unless you must, keep the phone warm in winter.
5. Make yourself visible: if you can, stay in an open spot that can be seen from above.

The 112 operator passes the call to the 118 control room, which sends the National Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps. In Sicily the CNSAS operates as Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Siciliano; in the Madonie a team based in Petralia Sottana also responds, as in the rescue of two hikers lost near Monte Cervi in July 2026 (MeteoWeb).

GeoResQ is the free app from CNSAS and CAI that sends an alert to Mountain Rescue with your position and route. Install it before you leave and try registering at home, not on the trail.

Hospitals and pharmacies

There are two hospitals close to the Park towns:

• Santissima Madonna dell’Alto hospital, Petralia Sottana, inland. It also houses a community hospital opened by the Palermo health authority (Sicilian Region).
• Fondazione Istituto G. Giglio, Cefalù, on the coast, in contrada Pietrapollastra.

The Giglio has an emergency department (Quotidiano di Ragusa, 2022). In an emergency, though, do not get in the car: call 112, which chooses the vehicle and the hospital.

Before you set off: what to check

• Mountain weather: forecasts for the towns and Piano Battaglia are on the Madonie weather page. Look at wind, fog and storms, not just temperature.
• Civil Protection warnings: the Sicilian Region’s Civil Protection publishes a daily weather and flood risk notice. With an orange or red alert, the guidelines cited by the Ente Parco for visitors apply: give up the hike.
• Ente Parco notices: the Park website publishes “danger zone” notices for days of wildlife control with firearms, listing the areas concerned. Do not enter those areas from dawn to dusk.
• In winter: the Carabinieri Meteomont bulletin for snow and avalanches, and the guide to snow safety.
• Roads: closures and landslides on the roads page.

Typical risks in the Madonie

The Madonie reach almost 2,000 metres, with Pizzo Carbonara at 1,979. They are not the Alps, but the risks are real.

Fog and route finding

On the karst plateaus, such as the one on Pizzo Carbonara, fog rolls in fast and landmarks vanish. In poor visibility, go back along the track you came on. The Pizzo Carbonara page describes the route.

Heat and water

In summer, outside the woods, the sun is strong even at altitude. Outside the tourist areas the Park has no water points or refreshments: carry at least two litres per person for a half-day hike and start early.

Fires

According to the Sicilian Region, 98% of fires are caused by people, deliberately or by accident. Lighting fires in the Park is forbidden. If you see smoke, call 1515 without waiting for the fire to grow and move away from the direction of the wind. When the fire risk is high, skip woodland hikes.

Trees and rocks

In September 2026 the Ente Parco asked visitors not to linger at the base of the big monumental trees, because dry or heavy branches can fall even without wind; during weather alerts the woods are off limits. Do not stop below rock faces: material can fall (Ente Parco delle Madonie).

Animals

The Ente Parco estimates between 1,500 and 3,000 wild suids in the protected area, that is wild boar and crosses with feral pigs. If you meet them, keep your distance and let them move away; the same goes for cows, horses and flocks at pasture.

Cold and wind

At altitude the temperature can drop quickly even in spring and autumn. Always carry a warm layer and a windproof jacket.

What to carry on a hike

For an E grade trail, the most common in the Madonie:

1. closed hiking shoes (the Park advises against heels, flip-flops and sandals);
2. water, at least 2 litres per person;
3. layers, a windproof jacket and a warm layer;
4. the route map downloaded to your phone and, if you can, a paper map;
5. a charged phone and a spare battery;
6. a head torch if you might return late;
7. a small first aid kit.

Maps and apps for finding your way are in our guide on maps and apps.

Rules that concern safety

In the Madonie Park it is forbidden to light fires, enter unmarked caves, walk through burnt woods and climb over fences. The full list and the rules on dogs, camping, gathering and drones are in our guide to the Madonie Park rules.

Real cases to learn from

Our article on the CAI scale and safety in the Madonie tells of two real rescues on Pizzo Carbonara: an off-trail descent in the dark that ended with a head injury, and a broken ankle near Pizzo Scalonazzo, with the stretcher carried for a kilometre to the road. In both cases the trail was easy; the problems came from the timing and the choices made.

For the more demanding trails, such as Monte Quacella, graded EE, consider a guide. All the routes, with their CAI grade, are in the Trails section.