Hallaydeghe Asebot National Park Hit By Wildfires

ADDIS ABABA – More than 100 square kilometers of grass and shrubs have been destroyed in a fire that broke out in Hallaydeghe Asebot National Park, its official said on Sunday.

The fire that broke out in the northern part of the park, a home for the endangered Grevy’s Zebras and more than 214 bird species, on Thursday afternoon.

The fire has largely been under control in the firefighters’ effort involving members of Afar region fire brigade and national defence force over the past three days.

The focus is currently to extinguish small and light fires scattered in various parts of the park, Mohamed Idris, coordinator of the park, told the state-run Ethiopian news agency.

The level of winds and heat wave, however, have made the effort to control the fire completely difficult, said Mohamed adding the cause of the fire was man-made.

The details of the cause of the accident and the extent of the damage is expected to be determined after investigation.

Hallaydeghe Asebot National Park, which was set up as a candidate for the national park in 1965, is located at the northern parts of the rift valley at the point where the rift valley widens into the Afar Depression.

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[Photo ENA]