Etosha Burns Again: Government Must Build Permanent Wildfire Response Capacity
Recent wildfires in the Halali, Kamaseb, and Tsam areas of Etosha National Park demonstrate that Namibia must strengthen its wildfire preparedness and rapid response capability. The recurrence of major fires so soon after the 2025 blaze, which burned over 775,000 hectares inside the park and 171,000 hectares outside, points to ongoing gaps in resource allocation and coordination.
The 2025 disaster exposed critical weaknesses in firefighting equipment and mobilization. With the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism allocated approximately N$797 million for 2025/26, the public deserves full transparency on how much funding is dedicated to fire prevention, detection, and suppression.
The IPC calls for an urgent, permanent solution:
Establish a properly resourced rapid-response wildfire unit.
Pre-position firefighting equipment and trained personnel at key conservation sites.
Implement reliable early-warning monitoring systems and clear coordination protocols.
Publish annual reports on wildfire expenditure and preparedness assessments.
The time to build strong wildfire response capacity is before emergencies occur, not after.
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