Etosha National Park, the crown jewel of Namibia’s conservation and tourism legacy, is burning. It is not merely grass and trees that are turning to ash; it is our national pride, our environmental responsibility, and the livelihoods of thousands. As flames devour hectares of this irreplaceable ecosystem, what is perhaps more disturbing than the fire itself is the collective silence and stunning lack of urgency from those who ought to be leading the response.
Where is the outrage? Where is the accountability?
Etosha is not a small, peripheral reserve; it spans over 22 000 km², making it one of the largest protected areas in Africa and the lifeblood of our tourism industry. It draws tens of thousands of visitors each year, sustains countless jobs, and serves as a critical refuge for some of the world’s most endangered wildlife. It is, in every sense, a national treasure.
And yet, as veld fires rip through its landscapes, the response has been lethargic, uncoordinated, and appallingly inadequate. Over 1 000 hectares of the park were recently reduced to cinders when a wildfire, allegedly started on a nearby resettlement farm, spread unchecked into the protected zone. That figure is not abstract; it represents grazing lands, wildlife corridors, habitats, and critical infrastructure lost. This is just one example. Nationally, more than 460 000 hectares have already been destroyed by veld fires this year alone.
So we must ask: how is it that a park of such immense value was caught so unprepared?
Reports from the ground indicate that Etosha’s firefighting capacity was sorely lacking. Local farmers and fire teams who attempted to assist were told to stand down. Volunteers were blocked by red tape. The ministry initially insisted that only internal staff and the Defence Force could intervene. Only after considerable public pressure and worsening destruction was the ban on external assistance lifted. The problem is not governance; it is dereliction.
When fire breaks out in a national park, the initial response should not be procedural paralysis. It should be immediate, coordinated action. Fire does not wait for policy approval. In a country like Namibia, where the dry season is an annual reality and veld fires are a recurring threat, this level of unpreparedness is inexcusable.
And let us not ignore the growing whispers of sabotage. Officials have not ruled out the possibility that this fire was deliberately started by poaching syndicates, a chilling tactic meant to distract law enforcement and disrupt park operations. If this is true, then we are not only facing environmental disaster but also organised crime operating with impunity at the heart of our conservation estate. Where are the investigations? Where are the arrests? Who is being held responsible?
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism recently procured firefighting trucks and equipment for N$7 million. This is commendable, but too little, too late. Equipment is only effective if it is properly deployed and maintained and if the personnel operating it are trained and ready. What is the point of procurement if there is no strategy to implement it in time?
More critically, where is the national leadership? Fires of this scale should prompt a high-level, cross-ministerial response, not boilerplate press releases and vague reassurances. There should be real-time data sharing, satellite surveillance, and active collaboration with local communities and NGOs who have the will and expertise to help. Fire prevention is not a once off activity; it requires year-round planning, maintained firebreaks, and community partnerships. We cannot afford to treat these incidents as isolated accidents. They are the predictable result of systemic neglect.
Etosha’s value cannot be overstated. It is a world-renowned conservation area, a source of national identity, and a direct economic contributor through tourism, hospitality, guiding services, and regional infrastructure. Every hectare lost is a loss to the economy, to our people, and to future generations. Communities living around the park, many of whom are already on the margins, rely on Etosha for their livelihoods. When the park burns, they suffer too.
And then there is the wildlife. Elephants, rhinos, lions, rare antelope, and birds – many of these species are already under threat. Fires destroy not only their immediate habitats but also food and water sources. The long-term ecological effects may not be immediately visible, but they are profound. A single fire season can undo decades of conservation gains.
This is not the time for polite diplomacy. We need decisive, transparent, and accountable leadership. The government must immediately:
- Declare a national emergency for protected areas threatened by fire.
- Establish a unified firefighting task force with civilian, military, and local cooperation—free of bureaucratic obstruction.
- Investigate the origins of every fire near protected zones. If there is evidence of criminal activity, prosecutions must follow swiftly.
- Publish a national fire management plan, including risk mapping, public updates, and annual readiness reports.
- Invest in community-based fire mitigation, empowering farmers and conservancies as first responders.
To do anything less is to abandon our responsibility.
Namibia, the time has come to decide what Etosha means to us. Is it a glossy image on a tourist brochure, or is it truly a national treasure worth fighting for? Because right now, it is burning, and our silence is as dangerous as the flames.
