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🇹🇿 Tanzania /Environment & Climate

Mount Kilimanjaro fire 90 percent contained as it enters third day

From The Citizen · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Firefighters have contained more than 90% of a blaze in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro National Park, with teams working to extinguish remaining flames and burning tree stumps.
  • Authorities deployed national park and forest agencies, rescue teams, tourism companies, residents and helicopters to fight the fire near the park’s border with Rombo District.
  • The cause remains unknown, while officials say tourism continues normally and no casualties have been reported.

More than 90% of a fire in Kilimanjaro National Park had been contained by Saturday, although firefighters were still battling flames and burning tree stumps in valleys, Tanzania’s natural resources and tourism minister said.

The fire began at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, in the Kikerelwa area near the park’s boundary with Rombo District in Kilimanjaro Region. The Tanzania National Parks Authority deployed a team from its Conservation Force, while the Tanzania Forest Services Agency, the Fire and Rescue Force, tourism companies and residents of nearby villages joined the operation.

As of this morning, we had managed to contain more than 90 percent of the fire, with the remaining 10 percent still being tackled.

· Ashatu KijajiTanzania’s natural resources and tourism minister described the state of firefighting operations.

Helicopters supported crews working at higher elevations. Minister Ashatu Kijaji said changing winds had helped contain the blaze, and authorities expected to reach 99% containment by the end of Saturday. The remaining work involved stopping the fire’s spread across the final 10% before crews could focus on smouldering tree stumps, especially in valleys.

Once we have extinguished the fire 100 percent, we will conduct an assessment to establish what caused it and determine the extent of the damage.

· Ashatu KijajiShe explained that authorities would investigate the fire’s cause after putting it out.

Officials have not established the cause. Kijaji said authorities were concentrating first on extinguishing the fire and would assess its origin and damage afterward. She said human activity could not be ruled out because the fire began high on the mountain during the dry season, when vegetation is dry.

Kijaji said the government had positioned trained firefighting teams near areas where fires commonly occur during the dry season. She also said the government had directed Tanapa to acquire its own helicopter, arguing that this would help detect smoke earlier and allow faster responses. Tourism activities were continuing normally, and Kijaji said tourists, guides, officers and rangers remained safe.

At the moment, our tourists are safe. The tour guides are safe. Our officers and rangers are safe.

· Ashatu KijajiShe said the fire had not caused reported human casualties.
About this summary

Originally published by The Citizen. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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