Harare, Zimbabwe - Widespread summer bush fires in Zimbabwe killed 10 people and 10 elephants recently, police said Wednesday.

-Within the past two weeks, we have about six people who have perished during veld fires. Ten elephants were burnt to death at Derbyshire Ranch in Shangani in Matabeleland South Province,- police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka said.

An environmental agency said the fires, most of them started deliberately, had also destroyed almost a million hectares of land.

The Environmental Management Agency said more people died in other parts of the country, bringing the death toll to 10 in the last few weeks.

Among the victims was a 13-year-old boy, who died while trying to save his employer's cattle from a fierce fire.

Cornered by the inferno, the boy sought refugee up a tree, but the fire engulfed the tree and burnt him to death.

Widespread bush fires have engulfed much of Zimbabwe, and most of them are deliberately started mainly by hunters to clear bushes.

By Staff reporter and agencies