Kilimanjaro: Fires shaped the mountain’s unique environment - now they threaten it

fire burns on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2020.

Fire burns on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2020. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By Andreas Hemp

Fires occur periodically on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is Africa’s tallest mountain and the largest freestanding mountain in the world. The fires can be devastating to the mountain and surrounding forests, which fall into Kilimanjaro National Park, named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Andreas Hemp provides a glimpse into the mountain’s natural environment and the challenges it faces.