Botswana said Monday that it is on a state of high alert as wildfires continue to raze the drought stricken nation amid high temperatures and strong winds.
While no deaths have been recorded yet, an official at the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Lesedi Ndolo said recently fire destroyed private property and range resourced in the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana.
“Since then wild land fires have continued across the country, affecting ten districts with most occurrences sustained,” Ndolo added.
The October fires have ravaged the country especially in the North West, Central and Ngami regions (in the northern part of the country).”
She said non-prescribed wild land fires often bring about adverse and at times devastating effects to lives, property, forest and range resources.
The Department of Forestry and Range Resources has mobilized fire teams to most affected areas and together with other stakeholders are attending to the blazes.
“High temperatures and strong winds are making it difficult to suppress in some areas leading to fires taking longer to be put out,” she said.
Reports indicate that fires have left two dead and dozens missing in New South Wales, Australia.
KO/as/APA