Namibia has deployed over 500 soldiers to assist in combatting a massive wildfire that has ravaged approximately 30% of the renowned Etosha National Park in the northern region of the country. The office of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed that an undisclosed number of wildlife have perished in the blaze, which ignited last Monday and has quickly engulfed the vast park.
The inferno has not only affected the park’s diverse wildlife, including the critically endangered black rhinos, but has also encroached into nearby villages, although there have been no reports of human casualties. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.
Video footage from the national broadcaster NBC displays charred vegetation, blackened trees, and fleeing antelope as the fire continues to spread. To combat the flames, authorities have dispatched helicopters, water tank-equipped trucks, and reinforcements totaling 500 soldiers who joined an initial group of 40 troops already deployed to the park.
Reports indicate that nearly 30% of the park’s expansive 22,200-square-kilometer grounds, notably the grazing areas, have been destroyed. Etosha National Park, a renowned wildlife sanctuary in Africa famed for its seasonal salt pan that transforms into a lake, has suffered significant ecological devastation. The fire has decimated close to 7,700 square kilometers of vegetation, with suspicions raised by the Namibian Environment Ministry that the blaze may have originated from a nearby farm engaged in charcoal production.
Situated in the arid landscapes of southern Africa, Namibia faces the fire crisis during the driest period in Etosha, exacerbating the challenges of containment and recovery efforts.