DAccording to the government of Tanzania, the major fire on Kilimanjaro is under control. The situation is “generally under control and will be fully managed over time,” said Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Pindi Chana on Sunday evening. According to the authorities in the East African country, there were no dead or injured in the fire at the popular tourist destination.
Regional Prefect Nurdin Babu had previously said on Sunday that “everything is under control”, “even if the fire continues”. At 5895 meters, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and a popular destination for hikers and mountaineers.
The fire broke out at an altitude of about 4,000 meters near the Karanga camp on the southern slope, which is on a popular route. However, the authorities had assured that tourists were not threatened by the fire.
Fight against the flames in the air
Pictures on online networks on Saturday showed huge flames eating through the vegetation and emitting gray smoke. Around 500 firefighters, police officers, but also residents, students and other officials fought the flames.
The cause of the fire remained unknown. However, ministry official Eliamani Sedoyeka had already said on Saturday that a climber or a honey hunter could have lighted the fire carelessly. An official with Tanzania’s national parks authority said he was certain the fire was caused by human activity: illegal poaching or honey harvesting by local people.
A large fire raged on Mount Kilimanjaro two years ago. At that time, an area of 95 square kilometers was destroyed within a week.
Climate change means that the vegetation on the mountain, also known as the “Roof of Africa”, is becoming increasingly arid. The area covered by glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro has shrunk by 85 percent in a century – from 11.4 square kilometers in 1912 to 1.76 square kilometers in 2011.
