In the southern foothills of the Italian Alps, the crystal waters of Lago d’Orta have been disturbed by an unfamiliar ritual this month. A small yellow plane dips down to skim the surface of the lake and fill its tank, then hums away to drop its cargo on wildfires. Lightning struck Monte Barone, a humble peak that boasts not-so-humble views of taller peaks beyond, on August 3. My boyfriend typically climbs the mountain each year on his birthda…