(Picture: Gail Wentink)Massive bush fires, fanned by strong winds, roared across Nxai pan, Makgadikgadi Pans and the central Kalahari this week and burned to a cinder thousands of hectares of grazing as well as killing wildlife, including four elephants which are known to have died near the Pandamatenga road. The Maun-Francistown road via Nata was blocked at various times by huge palls of smoke (pictured) as motorists gingerly tried to get through. Motorists who believed they could penetrate the smoke successfully were forced to turn round. The smoke also contributed to hazy conditions which enveloped the Maun area.