Bujumbura: A wild fire has been ravaging for a week Burundi's Vyanda natural reserve in the southwestern province of Bururi, and has destroyed at least 60 percent of the reserve, an official said Tuesday.
"Until today afternoon (Tuesday), we have counted at least 2,340 hectares of burned forest, that is, 60 percent of the total area of Vyanda natural reserve," said Leonidas Nzigiyimpa, head of the National Institute for Environment and Nature Conservation (INECN) in Bururi, Xinhua reported.
Nzigiyimpa called for action to extinguish the fire in order to "save the life of some 140 chimpanzees", and to "protect the remaining biodiversity heritage".
According to him, another bush fire broke out Monday in the commune of Bururi, but was quickly extinguished.
Bush fires are common in several parts of Burundi between May and September every year.
