Namibia has dispatched over 500 troops to assist in combating a massive wildfire that has ravaged around 30% of the well-known Etosha National Park. The blaze, which ignited last Monday, has extended across the expansive park in northern Namibia, leading to an unspecified number of wildlife casualties, as confirmed by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s office on Sunday.
Etosha National Park, housing numerous wildlife species including critically endangered black rhinos, has also witnessed the fire encroaching into neighboring villages; fortunately, no human fatalities have been reported. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.
Visuals captured by the national broadcaster, NBC, displayed charred vegetation, fleeing antelopes, and scorched landscapes. To combat the flames, authorities have mobilized helicopters, water tank-equipped trucks, and a reinforcement of 500 soldiers on Sunday, supplementing the initial 40 soldiers dispatched on Saturday, as stated by the president’s office.
The official statement indicated that nearly 30% of the park’s grazing lands spanning 22,200 square kilometers have succumbed to the fire’s devastation. Etosha National Park, recognized as one of Africa’s largest reserves, boasts a renowned salt pan that transforms into a lake during the rainy season, attracting diverse wildlife.
In a separate announcement, Namibia’s Environment Ministry expressed concerns regarding the extensive ecological harm inflicted on the park, estimating that the fire has consumed close to 7,700 square kilometers of vegetation. The ministry speculated that the fire might have originated from a charcoal production enterprise on a farm adjacent to the park.
Situated in the parched landscapes of southern Africa, Namibia encountered this fire amidst the driest period of the year in Etosha, emphasizing the heightened fire risk in the region.
