Tanzania deploys army to fight Mt. Kilimanjaro fire

Tanzania has mobilized soldiers to reinforce civilian firefighters and volunteers involved in a fire on Mount Kilimanjaro, which has been raging for more than ten days.

The fire started on October 21 near the Karanga camp, at an altitude of about 4,000 meters, a crossing point for climbers on their way up the continent's highest peak nicknamed the "roof of Africa" (5,895 meters).

The flames then spread to other sites. The 600 or so people in the firefighting team, some of whom were using branches to put it out, were then overwhelmed.

Soldiers have "already arrived on the mountain and are ready to extinguish the fire," the Tanzania Defence Forces (TPDF) said in a statement on Tuesday (November 1), without specifying the exact number of soldiers dispatched.

The fire appeared to be under control last week before strong winds scattered it to other nearby sites.

"We will cooperate with other forces and volunteers to ensure that the fire is quickly brought under control before it does significant damage," the military statement said.

No injuries have been reported so far, and tourism has not been affected, according to the government.

Iconic mountain whose snowy peak is known around the world, Kilimanjaro, and the area around it is classified as a national park and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

With a total area of more than 750 square kilometers, the park is home to a remarkable ecosystem, with rich flora and fauna composed of elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes...