Fire destroys 6,500 acres of moorland in Mt Kenya forest
A fire has destroyed at least 6,500 acres of moorland in the Marania section of Mt Kenya forest.
The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has attributed the fire to the hot weather and strong winds experienced in the region.
Meru Ecosystem Conservator John Njoroge says that putting off the fire was futile.
Some of the key partners involved in the firefighter’s team are KFS, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Defence Forces, Mt Kenya Trust, Rhino Ark, and the community and 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,” Njoroge said
An additional two choppers are also being used to contain the inferno.
Due to the difficult terrain, the team handling the containment is facing numerous challenges.
Mt Kenya Trust CEO Susie Weeks says that the dry moorland is part of why the fire is spreading fast.
“The situation is out of control. The firefighters are overwhelmed because we have been handling fires in Mt Kenya and Aberdares in the past ten days. It is an emergency,” Weeks said.
The KFS officers suspect that some criminals have been deliberately lighting the fires.
