Fire burned unattended along the roadside (and on the hills for that matter.) The land was dry; the sky blue; rain a distant memory. I was amazed that no one seemed concerned about the fire. In the USA, the fire department would have been called and all energies devoted to controlling the fire.
After a few days, I talked to the host of the lodge where we stayed. He said fire is just a part of life (and death) in Africa. He told a story about a tribe that routinely bathes in the river. Every year, the crocodiles grab (and eat) ten to fifteen children. When asked why they continued bathing in the river when the risk of being eaten by crocodiles was so high, the elders explained that it didn’t happen every time.
There are some things that can’t be controlled. Coming from a culture that expends many resources trying to control our environment, that’s hard for me to hear. In Africa, natural elements fire, rain (or the lack thereof), and animals occasionally kill people. That’s part of life.