A forest on Mount Muhabura in Burera District, Northern Province, caught fire on the morning of August 14, 2026, with residents and local authorities working to contain the blaze.
Residents of Nyagahinga Cell in Cyanika Sector said the fire started around 6:00 a.m. from the middle section of the mountain before spreading upwards.
One resident said efforts to reach the affected area have been challenging because firefighters and residents have had to walk a considerable distance to reach the fire.
“We saw the forest on fire at around 6 a.m. this morning. We tried to see whether there were people putting it out, but there was no one. The fire continued spreading, so we came into the mountain and are trying to put it out,” the resident said.
Residents living in Nyagahinga said they were not immediately concerned about their homes and property because the affected area is about two kilometres away from the settlement.
Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde confirmed that officials from different institutions were responding to the incident.
He said he was hopeful that the fire would be brought under control before causing significant damage.
“It is true, and we are all there. We have gone to put out the fire. I believe it will be resolved without much damage,” he said.
By around 9:00 a.m., residents reported that the intensity of the fire had started to decrease, raising hopes that it could soon be brought under control.
However, the total area affected by the fire had not yet been established by the time of publication, as the blaze was still burning in some areas.
The cause of the fire also remained unknown.
Some residents suggested that the fire could have been accidentally started by people entering the Volcanoes National Park to harvest honey.
They said honey harvesting requires the use of smoke to calm bees, raising concerns that the practice could potentially have triggered the blaze.
However, authorities had not confirmed this as the cause of the fire.
Mount Muhabura last experienced a major forest fire in 2009.
Mount Muhabura stands at approximately 4,127 metres above sea level, making it the second-highest of Rwanda’s five volcanoes.
During the dry season, vegetation in Rwanda’s national parks, including Volcanoes National Park where Mount Muhabura is located, becomes increasingly dry. This can increase the risk of wildfires spreading rapidly once vegetation catches fire.
Authorities and residents are therefore expected to continue monitoring the affected area as efforts to fully extinguish the blaze continue.
KIGALI TIMES