Namibia national park fire no longer active: govt

A massive fire which scorched through more than a third of Namibia's best-known national park is no longer active, government authorities said Wednesday.

The blaze at Etosha National Park, a top tourist site and one of Africa's largest game reserves, broke out on September 22 and spread rapidly due to high winds and parched vegetation.

It forced the government to deploy 500 soldiers to help contain the fire, believed to have as a result of charcoal production on farms bordering the park.

"Following the second aerial assessment conducted on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, no active fires were detected within Etosha National Park (ENP)," an environment ministry statement said.

"Mopping-up operations are ongoing, and ground monitoring teams remain deployed to ensure that previously contained fires do not reignite."

The park is home to 14 mammal species, including the critically endangered black rhino.

The ministry said that a total of 853,946 hectares (2,110,000 acres), representing 38 percent of the park's area, has been affected by the blaze.

A total of 364 Namibian Defence Force (NDF) members remained deployed in and around the site, with 40 inside the park for mopping-up and monitoring operations.

The ministry added it had sent three veterinarians to the park to attend to any injured wildlife, while officials are monitoring water points and strategic animal movement corridors for any signs of distress.

It urged visitors to immediately report any sightings of injured animals to park management, but said the priority remains extinguishing ongoing fires outside the park while ensuring timely care for affected wildlife.

A fire remains active on the outskirts of Etosha, with 45 personnel working to snuff it out.