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TANAPA posted a photo on its Twitter account allegedly showing Mount Kilimanjaro with flames, along with the caption: “A fire broke out on Mount Kilimanjaro this afternoon (October 11). Efforts to control the fire are underway.”
Reportedly, the fire has burned more than 26 km.2land. More than 500 volunteer firefighters have been deployed to Africa's highest mountain to battle the blaze. The fire was contained earlier in the week but flared up again on Wednesday morning (October 14), causing significant property damage, according to TANAPA. The fire is currently burning at an altitude of approximately 2,697 to 3,685 meters.
According to TANAPA, the fire likely originated in Whona, a rest area for hikers. Pascal Shelutete, a TANAPA communications officer, stated at a press conference: “The fire is still under investigation, but preliminary evidence suggests it may have originated in Whona, where tourists rest and cook. As you know, it’s the dry season and fires spread very quickly.”
The fires have the potential to destroy the flora and fauna on the mountain, although ecologists do not believe that any endemic species will be completely wiped out. However, the increasing number of fires on the mountain recently remains a cause for concern.
Mount Kilimanjaro is located on the border between Tanzania and Kenya, south of the equator, reaching nearly 6,000 meters above sea level and is one of the seven highest mountains in the world. Each year, approximately 50,000 tourists visit Kilimanjaro to conquer the "roof of Africa".
