More than 10,000 hectares of Burundi’s Ruvubu National Park have been destroyed by bushfires, raising alarm over the growing threat to one of the country’s major wildlife reserves.
Park rangers, who are understaffed and poorly equipped, have been struggling to contain the flames, with fire outbreaks reportedly becoming more frequent since late July.
“It’s a tough battle during the dry season. These fires are very damaging. We’re trying to deal with them and put them out every day,” said Bosco Ndayikeza, a park ranger.
Park authorities suspect poachers and other people illegally entering the reserve of being behind many of the fires.
Marc Bakundintwari, the park’s chief manager, said some people enter the protected area in search of firewood or grazing land for livestock, while others may deliberately set fires to clear trails leading towards Tanzania.
“It’s the poachers—people who enter the park in search of firewood or grazing land for their livestock—and there are trails leading to Tanzania; people crossing over there may also set the park on fire, if only to clear a path,” he said.
The absence of modern firefighting equipment has made it increasingly difficult for rangers to control the blazes, allowing them to spread across large sections of the park.
The fires have already consumed about one-fifth of the protected area, according to park authorities.
Despite the park’s vast size, only 45 staff members are responsible for managing and protecting the reserve.
Established in 1980, Ruvubu National Park covers about 50,800 hectares. It is home to a rich variety of wildlife, including 44 species of mammals, 425 bird species, reptiles such as Nile crocodiles, and 14 species of fish.
Conservationists fear continued fires could cause further damage to the park’s fragile ecosystem and threaten wildlife habitats if urgent measures are not taken to strengthen fire prevention and response efforts.
