Two major fires break out on the mountain in one month

 

The month of September has seen two fires break out on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain.

The fires, which are not linked, broke out on opposite sides of the mountain.

Earlier this month a fire broke out near the Rongai Route, on Kilimanjaro’s north-eastern slopes.

 

The first started at around 3.30pm on September 3rd in the Kikerelwa region, near the border with the populous Rombo District.

 

The fire quickly spread over several acres on what is the hottest and driest side of the mountain, though was eventually brought under control by the firefighting team of the mountain’s own Conservation Force, as well as tour operators and local villagers. 

 

Then on September 27th, climbers due to start on the Lemosho Route were forced to divert to the Machame Route instead to avoid another large fire that had broken out on Kilimanjaro’s western side.

 

 

Two days later, when this image was taken, the blaze still seemed to be raging.

 

In the absence of any official announcement details of this latest blaze are currently sketchy.

 

The cause of both fires, too, currently remain unknown, though investigations are ongoing. Previous fires have a variety of causes, with human activity usually the main culprit. Cooking mishaps on treks, and cigarettes tossed by porters and trekkers into tinder-dry scrub have previouslly been blamed. The activities of local honey harvesters, too, who light fires to smoke the bees out of their hives, have also come under the spotlight too. Indeed, both of the biggest fires in the last ten years (in 2020 and 2022) were said to be caused by the carelessness of humans working on the mountain.Â