Hundreds of people in Italy were evacuated by sea on Sunday as a wildfire swept through parts of the southern Adriatic coast, with many more expected to be rescued, the coastguard said.

"More than 400 tourists and beachgoers have been evacuated by sea, the only viable evacuation route," the coastguard said on its WhatsApp channel, adding that operations were ongoing.

Evacuees were being rescued from the area around the town of Peschici in the southern Puglia region.

A coastguard spokesman told AFP that around 300 more people were expected to be evacuated. 

Six coastguard vessels, three boats from Italy's financial police and around 10 private vessels were involved in the operation, the coastguard said. 

Images showed firefighters and a Canadair waterbomber battling the blaze, which was not immediately threatening homes in the town.

A huge plume of smoke could be seen from dozens of kilometres away. 

"The situation is currently under control," Peschici mayor Luigi d'Arenzo was quoted as saying by local daily Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno.

© Agence France-Presse