Fire destroys 6,500 acres of Mt Kenya forest
A Tropicair chopper puts out a fire in Mt Kenya forest. According to Kenya Forest Service, more than 6,500 acres of the forest in the Marania area had been destroyed by March 23, 2022.
A raging fire has destroyed more than 6,500 acres of moorland in the Marania section of Mt Kenya forest.
According to Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Meru Ecosystem Conservator John Njoroge, the fire that broke out over the weekend was spreading fast due to hot weather and strong winds.
He said despite deployment of firefighters from KFS, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Defence Forces, Mt Kenya Trust, Rhino Ark and the community, the fire was still spreading.
“We suspect the fire was started by arsonists or honey harvesters. The fire has been unmanageable due to the strong winds. Currently, the fire line is about 15 kilometres long,” Mr Njoroge said, adding that two choppers were helping in efforts to put out the fire.
He noted that the difficult terrain was also making it harder for the firefighters to contain the inferno.
According to Mt Kenya Trust CEO Susie Weeks, the dry moorland was part of the reason the fire spread fast and further, adding that fires keep on being reported after being put out.
“The situation is out of control. The firefighters are overwhelmed because we have been handling fires in Mt Kenya and Aberdare in the past 10 days. It is an emergency,” Ms Weeks said.
She said there was suspicion that some criminals were deliberately lighting the fires in the moorland.
According to Mt Kenya Trust, more than 400 firefighters have been deployed to extinguish the inferno.
