FOREST FIRES.

FOREST FIRES.

JANE MUGAMBI 22nd MARCH 2012.



The government has set aside sh10 million to mobilize resources to fight the raging fires in both Mt. Kenya and Aberdares forests.



Kenya Forest Service deputy director Patrick Kariuki said the money is being used to provide food, transport and other logistics required to fight the blazes that have destroyed thousands of forest.



He pointed out that apart from the KFS and the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) personnel, the army, national youth service men and police officers have joined the effort to extinguish the fires that have been burning for the last two weeks.



Kariuki who was speaking at Kamiigwa in Kirinyaga County during the Farmer Field School graduation ceremony the official said no resource will be spared to try and save the water towers from the fires.



He said the fire in Mt. Kenya forest has so far consumed moorlands and bamboo vegetation in Gathiuru, Chogoria and Naromoru areas of the expansive national park adding that the indigenous trees were so far not affected.



The official said they were working round the clock to ensure the fire is contained before it spreads to the lower parts of the mountain where indigenous trees are mostly found.



The KFS said they cannot rule out arson as the major cause of the fire outbreaks and urged people to be cautious during the current dry spell being experienced in the country.



The fires have been difficult to put out due to harsh weather and lack of proper equipment with an estimated 100 hectres of vegetation burned in the past few weeks.

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