Namibia has begun deploying hundreds of soldiers to fight a fire that has burned through a third of the vast Etosha national park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves, officials said.
The park in the north of the largely desert country is home to 114 species of mammals, notably the critically endangered black rhinoceros, and is a major tourist attraction.
The fire had been burning since 22 September and had caused extensive ecological damage, already burning through about 34% of the park, the environment ministry said.
After an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday, the government said 500 extra soldiers would be deployed from Sunday to assist troops, police, local people and other firefighters at the scene, the office of the prime minister, Elijah Ngurare, said in a post on Facebook.
The fire has been burning for almost a week. Photograph: NBC
“The order was given that the troops must be deployed, and if all are not on the ground yet, they will be there soon,” the defence minister, Frans Kapofi, said on Sunday.
“They are deployed from various regions and will be deployed to all affected areas,” he said.
At least nine antelope have been killed in the blaze, which was believed to have started from charcoal production activities on bordering commercial farms, the ministry said.
The main feature of the 8,600 sq mile (22,270 sq km) park is the ancient Etosha salt pan, which is 80 miles long and 30 wide and draws huge flocks of flamingoes during the rainy season.
