DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 5– Tanzania has contained a fire outbreak on Mount Kilimanjaro by more than 90 percent, with firefighting teams working to extinguish the remaining flames, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ashatu Kijaji said on Saturday.
Kijaji made the remarks in Moshi in the northern Kilimanjaro Region after inspecting the affected area and briefing journalists on the firefighting progress. The blaze was first reported on Thursday at around 3:30 p.m. local time in Kilimanjaro National Park.
According to the minister, the government immediately deployed conservation officers and personnel from the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), working together with the Tanzania Fire and Rescue Force, to combat the outbreak.
The remaining pockets of fire are mainly concentrated around tree stumps and valleys, where teams are first focusing on preventing further spread before dealing with smoldering stumps, she noted.
Kijaji added that the cause of the fire has not yet been established, noting that authorities would conduct a detailed assessment of the impacts on wildlife and other resources once the blaze is completely put out.
Helicopters have also been deployed during the past two days to support ground teams. Meanwhile, the minister assured the public that tourists, tour guides, conservation officers, and firefighters are safe, with no human casualties reported so far. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
