Forest Fire Destroys Five Hectares in Kiambu

Five hectares of Uplands forest in Lari sub county were consumed by fire Tuesday night.
According to the Kenya Forest Service, the affected area is situated at Rukuma trading center behind the curio shops along the Nairobi Nakuru highway.
The KFS reported that wind propelled the flames, destroying the dry vegetation in their path.
Residents from Rukuma and Escarpment villages raised the alarm and organized to enter the forest in an attempt to extinguish the blaze.
However, Kiambu County Forest Conservator Benjamin Muindi stated that KFS officers received assistance from Kiambu government firefighters and nearby communities to control the fire.
Muindi explained that Uplands Forester Paul Nderitu and his rangers spent the entire night battling the flames.
“From Tuesday 8pm until Wednesday 2pm, no one returned home or to the station. We had to work nonstop,” the CFC said.
The prolonged dry spell had dried much of the vegetation, facilitating the fire’s spread.
Muindi noted that undergrowth including grass and shrubs were easily consumed by the advancing flames.
Nderitu observed that additional residents volunteered their help on Wednesday to assist with firefighting efforts.
Resident Solomon Wachira expressed that the collaboration between KFS and the community was effective as people willingly offered their assistance.
“We brought water jugs, buckets, and any containers that could be used to carry water and extinguish the fire,” Wachira said.
Escarpment senior chief Francis Karanja was impressed by the community’s concern about losing the trees in that section to the fire.
“We have been working with KFS and the community to plant trees. Residents felt it was unacceptable to let their efforts go up in flames, so they came to help save what they could,” the senior chief said.
Nevertheless, Muindi mentioned that while shrubs were destroyed, the blue gum trees suffered minimal damage as the fire was successfully contained.
The KFS officers stated that once the rainy season begins, they will commence planting seedlings throughout the county’s forests. They noted that KFS, Community Forest Association members, and individuals had prepared seedbeds, with the seedlings ready for transplanting.