Fire Guts National Park

By Gerald TenywaTHERE has been a fire outbreak in Queen Elizabeth National Park believed to be the worst in recent years.Park authorities have been overwhelmed by the fire, which has been burning for a week. “The fire has burnt almost one quarter of the park,’’ Isaac Drani told The New Vision.Queen Elizabeth National Park is a world heritage site, which means that it is a conservation area of international importance. However, the park lacks the capacity to fight the fire, Lilly Ajarova the Public Relations Officer of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said.Herds of buffaloes, Uganda kobs and packs of lions took to their heels as the fire advanced and consumed their habitats in the southern and northern parts of the park.“It has destroyed the animals especially the reptiles that cannot escape. The distribution of the animals will also be affected,’’ the warden for tourism, Wafana Patrick said.Ends