KDF helicopters deployed after fire breaks out in a forest, Taita Taveta
KDF helicopters deployed after fire breaks out in a forest, Taita Taveta
A forest fire has broken out at the Irizi forest in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, on Tuesday, February 10, morning, prompting a multi-agency emergency response.
Confirming the incident, the Kenya Red Cross said that it is working alongside the Kenya Wildlife Service to contain the inferno, which was spreading rapidly.
KWS has confirmed that they have called for the support of a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) chopper to ensure the swift containment of the fire, which has been challenging due to the hilly terrain.
Images shared by the Kenya Red Cross Society depict flames sweeping across the forest floor, indicating that the blaze may have been sparked by human activity or natural factors such as prolonged dry conditions.
The extent of the damage caused by the fire has yet to be disclosed at the time of publishing the article, since the fire is still spreading.
“A widespread forest fire has affected parts of Irizi Forest in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County,” KWS said.
“Kenya Red Cross is on the ground with KWS, partners, authorities, and the community. Hilly terrain is challenging containment, and aerial support is being considered,” it added.
Since the beginning of this year, the country has seen a rise in forest fires, largely attributed to prolonged sunny and dry conditions.
The KWS confirmed that a massive wildfire broke out at Lake Nakuru National Park on Friday, February 6.
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The service said that the fire was successfully contained before spreading further across the protected conservation area.
According to the service, the fire started around 4pm on friday, at Lake View Estate and spread into Lake Nakuru National Park, affecting the Honeymoon Hill area.
KWS, with support from the community, the City Fire Team, and Bondeni Police, responded swiftly and successfully contained the fire by 10:00 p.m.
The service confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities recorded during the incident.
“Yes, there was a fire incident last night, but our team worked around the clock to contain it before it could spread further,” stated KWS.
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