Heavy rainfall on Saturday provided critical relief to firefighters battling the ongoing wildfire in Kirinyaga Castle Forest, a section of Mt Kenya National Park. The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Community Forest Association (CFA) reported successfully containing flames in Ndaragwa and Kamiruri areas, though active fires persist in Chogoria, Tharaka-Nithi County, and the park's northwest region.
The blaze, which has burned through the park for eight days, has consumed vast vegetation and resulted in animal fatalities. Initially reported near Lake Ellis in Tharaka-Nithi County, the fire spread across Moorland and affected Embu, Meru, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, and Nyeri counties. Approximately 610 personnel, including 490 Kenya Defence Forces soldiers, have deployed five helicopters and water pumps to combat the inferno.
Challenges remain in Geta Forest's steep Sofia area, where CFA members and KFS officers struggle to control flames. Meanwhile, fires in Shamata Forest threaten central Aberdare moorlands, and additional blazes have been reported near Penon Forest Station in the North Rift. In response, the Environment and Forestry Ministry mandated a 48-hour written notice for vegetation burning near forests.
Chief Conservator of Forests Monica Kalenda noted over 120 fire incidents since January, with significant property damage. The ongoing crisis underscores the need for stricter fire prevention measures in ecologically sensitive regions.
