Fire fighters are making little headway against the fire which is being fanned by strengthening winds.

Our correspondent says that the fires will come as a further blow to Zimbabwe's suffering tourism industry which has been on its knees since Zimbabwe's political problems discouraged foreign tourists from visiting the country.

Officials and villagers who live near the park say they suspect the latest fire could have been started by squatters who were removed from some nearby farms last week.

One white tour operator said most of his clients who had booked with him have cancelled because of the fire.

He said he believed that the fires were a deliberate attempt by self-styled war veterans to sabotage white-owned safari companies.