More than 17 hectares of forest in Nyungwe National Park have been destroyed by a fire in Nyaruguru District, with authorities warning that investigations are underway to identify those responsible.
The fire broke out in Muganza Sector, in the section of Nyungwe National Park located in Nyaruguru, before being contained by a joint response involving security forces, residents and park officials.
Preliminary information indicates that the fire may have been started by beekeepers who had entered the protected forest to harvest honey.
CIP Hassan Kamanzi, Rwanda National Police spokesperson for Southern Province, said the fire had been fully extinguished and no injuries had been reported.
“The fire has been brought under control. The affected area that was extinguished was nearly 29 hectares. No one was injured,” Kamanzi said.
He explained that the response involved the Rwanda National Police, Rwanda Defence Force, local residents and Rwanda Development Board staff working in Nyungwe National Park.
With the immediate threat contained, authorities have turned their attention to determining the cause of the fire and identifying those who may have violated regulations governing activities inside the protected area.
“No one has been arrested so far. The first priority was to respond and put out the fire. The next step is to arrest those involved,” Kamanzi said.
He said investigators are examining possible links to people engaging in prohibited activities in the forest, including unauthorised honey harvesting, poaching and charcoal burning.
“The investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Police have warned residents against activities that could trigger fires in protected forests, stressing that those found responsible will face legal action.
“If it is established that a resident was involved in such activities, we will arrest them and hand them over to RIB. This is a national asset, and we will not tolerate anyone encroaching on it,” Kamanzi said.
The incident adds to concerns over the vulnerability of protected forests to human activities, particularly during periods when dry conditions can increase the risk of fires spreading rapidly.
The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) has previously urged the public to avoid activities that could cause fires in forests and other protected areas. These include smoking near forests and entering protected areas for activities such as unauthorised honey harvesting.
Authorities are now assessing the damage caused by the fire as investigations continue into its origin and those who may have contributed to its outbreak.
