RWANDA: Forest fire in National Park under control says tourism director

Record ID: 285572

  • Title: RWANDA: Forest fire in National Park under control says tourism director
  • Date: 22nd July 2009
  • Summary: KIGALI, RWANDA (JULY 21, 2009) (REUTERS) VIEW OF VOLCANOES RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR THE VOLCANOES IN THE NATIONAL PARK VOLCANO CALLED MUHABURA ON FIRE FOREST VARIOUS OF FOREST AREA THAT WAS BURNT/ SMOKE 6 MAN LOOKING THROUGH HELICOPTER WINDOW FIRE ON TOP OF VOLCANO DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TOURISM, ROSETTE RUGAMBA LOOKING ON PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF HELICOPTER SOUNDBITE (Eng
  • Embargoed: 6th August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Rwanda
  • Country: Rwanda
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA15T8VG91CFV3HNHLA2Q9TARUQ
  • Story Text: A forest fire in Rwanda's Volcano National Park, which started over the weekend, is not a threat to the world's few remaining highland gorillas and is now under control, wildlife officials said on Tuesday (July 21).
    The fire, which is estimated to have consumed about 150 hectares of the Volcano National Park, was sparked off by a farmer who smoked out bees from a hive in the park to extract honey.
    Hundreds of volunteers, military personnel and ex-prisoners are working together to try and put out the fire, which was seen spreading to the top of volcanic mount Muhabura.
    "This is an exercise that started on Saturday, with very huge fires covering over hundred... hundred and fifty of hectares. We witnessed the damage that was done, the place is very, very dry and will be a big challenge in terms of regeneration of that forest," said Rosette Rugambwa, head of the Rwanda tourism board.
    Officials said the fire was roughly 20 km away from gorilla habitats and posed no danger to the endangered animals.
    Fewer than 720 of the primates -- famous for the shimmering silver hair on the backs of males -- are believed to exist in the wild, spread across the remote Virunga hills where Democratic Republic of Congo meets Uganda and Rwanda.
    "This is an exercise that started on Saturday, with very huge fires covering over hundred... hundred and fifty of hectares. We witnessed the damage that was done, the place is very, very dry and will be a big challenge in terms of regeneration of that forest," said Rugambwa.
    An official statement said if the fire had not been contained the fires could have turned into a 'catastrophe.' The fire was still raging on the Rwandan side, but officials said it was not a threat to wildlife in the volcanic range.
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