A wildfire raging for over 10 days has claimed about 400 hectares (988 acres) of pristine Malawi forest, officials said Monday. Authorities have not established the cause of the blaze sweeping through the Zomba Plateau, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of the commercial capital, Blantyre.
BLANTYRE, Malawi — A wildfire raging for over 10 days has claimed about 400 hectares (988 acres) of pristine Malawi forest, officials said Monday.
Authorities have not established the cause of the blaze sweeping through the Zomba Plateau, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of the commercial capital, Blantyre.
Zomba Plateau Plantation Manager Eric Zangazanga said he suspected it might have been started by disgruntled workers angry over payment delays.
Firefighters from the forestry department and military have battled to contain the blaze using water trucks and controlled fires to block its advance.
The fire has mostly destroyed pine trees, some 12 years old, Zangazanga said. Most animals -- including baboons, rabbits and antelope -- escaped unharmed.
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"Animals have a sharp sense when danger is looming," Zangazanga said.
Burnt branches and other debris have clogged the main catchment area for the Southern Region Water Board, forcing rationing in the town of Zomba while authorities clear the waterway.
Steve Makungwa, a forestry expert with the University of Malawi, called the fire a national disaster, saying it could take six to eight years to reclaim the affected forest.
"Most of the burnt forest comprised young trees of say three years. These don't normally survive fires because their roots are not deep enough," he said.
Source: Associated Press
