APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – After four days hours of firefighting efforts, the Nyungwe forest fire in Southwestern Rwanda was successfully extinguished, a senior local administrative official confirmed Thursday to APA in Kigali.
According to Anice Kibiriga, Mayor of Rusizi district, there are no reports of deaths or injuries.
It said a military helicopter participated in the firefighting efforts, and nearby residents from Bweyeye village were evacuated to safety.
Nyungwe rainforest, home to about 300 bird species, nearly 30 of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift region, 75 known mammal species, 1,068 plant species, and 13 different primate species including the common chimpanzee, is known worldwide as one of the best-preserved montane rainforests in central Africa.
There are 280 bird species and a network of waterfalls, rivers and streams vital to Rwanda’s water resources.
The natural reserve provides 70 percent of Rwanda’s freshwater, according to conservations experts.
Rwanda has four national parks — Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, and Volcanoes National Park.
CU/as/APA