Hundreds of Namibian soldiers have been dispatched to Etosha National Park, one of the largest in Africa, in an effort to contain a raging wildfire that has burned more than a third of the parkland, government officials said.
The fire has destroyed precious grazing land and wildlife habitats and killed a handful of animals so far.
The fire might have been sparked a week ago by charcoal production operations on adjacent commercial farms, according to a statement by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Strong winds and dry conditions have caused the to spread rapidly. Officials expressed concern about the threat to surrounding communities as the fire spilled outside the park’s borders.
“The wildfire crisis in Etosha National Park and surrounding areas poses a significant threat to Namibia’s biodiversity, local livelihood and critical infrastructure,” the ministry said in its statement.
The park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the arid, sparsely populated country of Namibia. It features massive salt pans — flat land covered with salt and other minerals — and a range of wildlife, including elephants, rhinos and leopards. The park, established nearly 120 years ago, contains 114 mammal species and more than 400 bird species.
So far, more than 1.9 million acres of the park — an area larger than the state of Delaware — has burned. The firefighting efforts have involved more than 500 soldiers, two helicopters and volunteers from surrounding farms and communities.
Home to what is believed to be the world’s oldest desert, Namibia has been a strong supporter of greater protections against climate change, which some researchers believe has increased the threat of wildfires across the globe.
John Eligon is the Johannesburg bureau chief for The Times, covering a wide range of events and trends that influence and shape the lives of ordinary people across southern Africa.
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