Africa-Press – Namibia. A TOTAL of 800 000 hectares of grazing was destroyed by a fire that swept through the Etosha National Park and surrounding farms over the past two weeks.
The fire started on a farm in the area of Outjo on 4 September and was consistently blown in the direction of the park and farms near Otavi by strong winds.
According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, officials and firefighters in the park managed to bring the fire under control.
The flames, driven by a strong wind, went on to cause more damage on farms to the east of the park, but by Sunday farmers, their workers and volunteers managed to bring the fire under control.
It is suspected that the fire that started in the first week of September was ignited by a kiln used to make charcoal.
As the fire drew closer to the park, environment officials went out with graders to create firebreaks, but a spark from a grader blade started a second fire which destroyed most of the grazing to the south and southeast of the pans inside the park.
Many farmers whose grazing were affected by the fire reported that their livestock and wildlife were injured or killed when the animals were trapped by the flames.
The environment ministry, however, indicated that no significant animal losses have occurred as a result of the fire inside the park.
