A fire continues to ravage part of Nyungwe National Park in Muganza Sector, Nyaruguru District, with more than 17 hectares of the protected forest already affected as efforts to contain the blaze continue.
The wildfire has been burning for several days in the section of Nyungwe located in Rwanda’s Southern Province, prompting a coordinated response involving different institutions working to extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the forest.
Rwanda National Police spokesperson for the Southern Province, CIP Hassan Kamanzi, said the fire started about seven kilometres from the edge of the forest, raising concerns that it could have originated from illegal human activities inside the protected area.
“The fire started about seven kilometres from the edge of the forest, which indicates that it may have originated from illegal human activities inside the park,” CIP Hassan Kamanzi said.
Speaking to TAARIFA, Nyungwe National Park Manager Protais Niyigaba said fires of this nature are more common during the dry season and are often linked to people illegally entering the forest to harvest honey.
He explained that it is difficult to catch those responsible because park authorities often discover the fires after the people involved have already left the area.
“It is rare to catch those harvesting honey because by the time we realise that the forest is burning, the culprits have already left. This is common during the dry season, when some people illegally enter the park to harvest honey. Sometimes we catch them, but it is rare,” Niyigaba said.
Niyigaba added that the current fire appears to have started from three different locations, further complicating efforts to determine its exact cause.
“This time, the fire started from three different angles, and we are working closely with the Police and local communities to stop it and prevent further damage,” he said.
Firefighting teams from different institutions continue to work in the affected areas to contain the blaze and limit the destruction of the forest.
Authorities are also monitoring the situation and investigating the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
Nyungwe National Park is one of Rwanda’s most important protected ecosystems and is home to diverse wildlife and plant species.
The forest also plays a vital role in water conservation, biodiversity protection and maintaining the country’s environmental balance.
Authorities are expected to maintain firefighting and monitoring operations until the fire is fully contained, while efforts to identify and prevent illegal activities inside the protected forest are likely to remain a key part of protecting Nyungwe, particularly during the dry season.
