Transport along the Rubanda – Kisoro road was paralyzed this morning after fire gutted Echuya Forest Reserve, one of country’s biggest reserves.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi regional police spokesman revealed that the fire which is said to have originated from the Rwandan side of the border started at around 3AM.
By midmorning on Sunday, the Police fire brigade was still fighting the huge flames.
Traffic flow was greatly hampered by the fire as all the vehicles heading and coming from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kisoro, Kabale and Kampala were halted for hours.
Maate says the fire was started by honey harvesters from the other side of the forest in the neighboring Rwanda.
By publication time, Chimpreports learnt that the fire had been successfully put out having left a massive trail of devastation.
Echuya is a mountain rainforest in south-western Uganda, adjoining the border with Rwanda.
It has up to 152 bird species, including 18 Albertine Rift endemics and the endangered Grauer’s Swamp-warbler.
It is ranked as the most important forests in the country for the rarity of its fauna and flora covering 3,400 hectares and also has a high altitude swamp called Muchuya.
The forest cover is approximately 80% mature Macaranga kilimandscharia and Hagenia abyssinica and 20% mountain bamboo Yushania alpina.