Namibia Deploys Army to Battle Vast Etosha Wildfire

Namibia’s military deployed helicopters and more than 500 soldiers on Sunday, 28 September, to help contain a wildfire that has scorched roughly a third of Etosha National Park, one of Africa’s largest nature reserves.

The blaze – which began last Monday, 22 September, and is believed to have started at a charcoal production site near the park’s border – has already destroyed nearly 775 000 hectares of land. At least nine antelope have died, though the full toll on wildlife remains unknown.

Etosha is home to 114 species of mammals, including the critically endangered black rhinoceros, and attracts around 200 000 visitors each year. The Environment Ministry has closed several tourist routes, warning that shifting winds could spread the fire farther.

Defence Minister Frans Kapofi said troops had been dispatched “from various regions” to reinforce firefighters, police and volunteers. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare Manongo confirmed on social media that the soldiers would remain in place until the natural disaster is contained.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who recently spoke at the United Nations General Assembly, warned: “Climate change is scorching our lands and drying up our rivers.”

Authorities claim that some areas are now under control, but extensive ecological damage has already been done.

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