Flames on Africa’s highest mountain: According to eyewitness reports on Monday, a thick wall of smoke enveloped part of the almost 6000 meter high Kilimanjaro. According to the national park administration, the major fire on the southern flank of the mountain range broke out on Sunday evening. Eyewitnesses reported an expansion of the widely visible smoke and fire wall towards the east.
“Today there is smoke several kilometers wide, and at dawn it was still clearly visible through the red color of the clouds that it was still burning,” reported Thomas Becker, a German who lives in the surrounding area, and emphasized: “There must be very large flames if we are who can see so well from about 25 kilometers away; fortunately there is no wind. “
Emergency services tried to put out the fire on the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It has not yet been deleted, stressed Pascal Shelutete from Tanzania’s national park authority on Monday. At the same time, investigations would be started to find out the cause of the fire. According to the newspaper “The Citizen”, people from the surrounding communities helped. Because the fire broke out at a greater height, the extinguishing work is difficult.
“According to the park administration, the fire broke out at a picnic area on the Marangu route at a height of around 3500 meters,” said mountain guide Debbie Bachmann shortly before her ascent with a group of Germans, Swiss and Austrians from the German Press Agency. “The park administration has therefore advised us to take a different route because the fire has not yet been extinguished.”
At the moment there is hardly any water up there. Bachmann: “Many streams have dried up.” Although there was precipitation from October of the previous year to June that was well above the average, Becker also emphasized: “It is bone dry and very hot for the time of year; the temperatures on the plain are currently around 34 degrees Celsius on average – and thus above the seasonal average. “
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Kilimanjaro with its 5895 meters is not only considered Africa’s highest mountain, but also Tanzania’s landmark. In recent years, studies have repeatedly raised the question of whether changes in its snow cap could be a result of climate change. Every year, at normal times, it is climbed by tens of thousands of mountaineers from all over the world. On the ascent you first cross a rainforest belt before you reach a heather and moor landscape. There the fire broke out for an as yet unexplained cause.
Mountaineering tourism feeds an entire industry of porters and service providers who help with the ascent. Although Tanzania still has comparatively simple entry requirements, according to industry information, tourism in the region is on the ground in Corona times. According to government figures, around 1.6 million jobs in the East African country depend directly or indirectly on tourism. (dpa)
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