Namibia Puts Out Etosha Park Wildfire

(MENAFN) Namibian Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, confirmed that a major wildfire, which ravaged over a third of Etosha National Park, has been largely contained. The park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves, was hit by flames that spread quickly after breaking out on September 22.

“Most of the fire has been brought under control, there was no visible fire as we flew over, though teams are still working to extinguish small areas that continue to burn,” Daniel told the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on Monday night.

Firefighters will remain in the area to patrol and prevent flare-ups, as some pockets of the blaze continue to burn intermittently.

The fire’s origin is believed to be linked to charcoal burning activities on nearby farms. Although the full scale of the destruction remains unclear, early reports confirm that at least nine antelopes were killed in the inferno. The park spans 22,270 square kilometers (8,598 square miles) and is home to 114 mammal species, including the endangered black rhino.

In response to the crisis, the Namibian government deployed 500 soldiers on Sunday to support firefighting efforts. By the time the fire was largely controlled, it had scorched at least 755,163 hectares—representing approximately 34% of the park’s vast territory.

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