Africa-Press – Mozambique. More than half of the area of the Maputo Special Reserve, in Matutuine district, Maputo province, is being consumed by an uncontrolled fire that started yesterday afternoon (September 15).
At the moment, the fire is burning less than 500 metres from where the reserve ends, nearest Ponta de Ouro.
The fire started on Wednesday afternoon (15-09), but so far there is no evidence on the ground of personnel from the reserve, and even less from the district authorities, attempting to control the flames.
Power and communication poles felled by the flames can be seen, and the situation is forcing many animals to cross the road in search of safety.
Matutuine district administrator Julia Mwito told Noticias said that the blaze was the result of another agriculture fire[queimada] spiralling out of control, leading to government efforts to quell the flames.
“We controlled the fire yesterday,” she said, “and left the scene convinced that we had got the flames under control.”
