A wildfire that burned through more than a third of Etosha National Park has been contained, Namibia’s prime minister said on Monday, following sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis.
The fire broke out on 22 September in the northern desert park, one of Africa’s largest wildlife reserves. Officials believe charcoal production on nearby farms sparked the blaze. Strong winds and dry conditions helped it spread rapidly across more than 775,000 hectares inside the park and another 171,000 outside it.
Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare said on Facebook that “all fires [are] contained” and that mop-up and monitoring would continue. He listed 10 separate blazes in the area.
The park is home to 114 mammal species, including the endangered black rhino. The Environment Ministry said nine antelopes had been killed, and one pangolin was rescued. Reports of an elephant death remain unconfirmed.
Criticism of slow response
Volunteers and private operators accused the government of acting too late. Sean Naude, head of the Namibian Marshall Rangers, said at least four fires were still active outside the park.
“Fires in the park are pretty much contained, but not extinguished,” he said. “Why did they take so long to accept our help? It took five days, and the army was only deployed on the fourth day.”
The government said 49 soldiers were sent in on Saturday and 500 more on Sunday. Two helicopters were also deployed.
Frank Stein, who runs Bay Air Aviation, said he flew reconnaissance missions to help farmers but saw few official forces on the ground. “All I saw was maybe 50 farmers in small groups trying to fight the fires with hardly any resources,” he said.
Government defends actions
In a statement, the Environment Ministry said the fire posed “a significant threat to biodiversity, wildlife and the livelihood of communities.” The government later urged unity, with the prime minister calling on the public to avoid a “blame game” and instead support joint efforts between the state and private sector.
Despite the containment, concerns remain about the scale of damage. About one-third of the park’s grazing land has been destroyed, affecting habitats for elephants, rhinos, leopards, and other species.
Tourist routes have been closed, and officials warned that shifting winds could reignite hotspots.
Etosha, known for its vast salt pan and large flocks of flamingos in the rainy season, attracts visitors from around the world. With the fire now under control, attention is turning to recovery efforts and questions over whether the government acted quickly enough to protect one of Namibia’s most important conservation areas.
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