The fire has been raging for a week. The devastated area is larger than the provinces of North and South Holland combined. The Namibian government has deployed more than five hundred military personnel to fight the fire, in addition to helicopters and trucks with water tanks.
The national park totals more than 22,000 square kilometers. It is an important refuge for hundreds of animal species, including the endangered black rhino. It is still unclear how many animals were killed by the fire.
The Environment Ministry reports that ecological damage is extensive and that the fire was likely caused by a charcoal farm on a farm adjacent to the park.
The fire comes at the driest time of the year in Namibia. Authorities are doing all they can to prevent further spread and hope to get the fire under control soon.
Etosha National Park is known for its vast white salt pan, the Etosha Pan, which turns into a lake during the rainy season and attracts many wild animals. The park is one of Africa’s largest and most important nature reserves and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
A devastating fire has been raging in Namibia’s Etosha National Park for a week. The fire has destroyed more than 7,700 square kilometers of vegetation.
