Kenya Forest Service sounds the alarm over rising fire incidents
Kenya Forest Service sounds the alarm over rising fire incidents
07 February 2011
published by www.businessdailyafrica.com
Kenya — The Kenya Forest Service has issued an alert on fires during the prevailing dry season and declared the period from February 1 to the onset of the rains as a National Fire Season.
Forest fires. Currently, there are about 2,500 guards deployed in the countrys gazetted forests.
This follows a series of forest fires in Nakuru, Busia, Meru, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, and Nairobi.
According to KFS, most cases of forest fires arise from illegal human activities such as charcoal burning and farming.
Unlike Europe where forest fires are caused by storms, in Kenya they are as a result of human activity in and adjacent to the forests, said KFS director David Mbugua.
KFS has declared burning of vegetation inside and beside forest areas illegal.
To avert further losses, the organisation is betting on community partnerships to manage forest fires.
Every year, Kenya loses between 10,000 and 20,000 acres of forest to fires during the two annual dry seasons in January to March and August to September.
Already, the period between December 2010 and January 2011 has claimed 75 acres of forest and there are fears of more losses if better strategy is not employed to curb future fires.
Currently, there are about 2,500 guards deployed in the countrys gazetted forests.
The staff is not enough to effectively manage the forests. There is one guard for 700 acres of forest and we have been unable to employ more due to a strained budget, said Mr Mbugua.
Under the Forest Act 2005, it is illegal to burn charcoal in gazetted forests.
The Act further stipulates procedures to be followed in acquisition of licences for charcoal burning on trust lands, private farms, and community forests.
The Act has often been overlooked leading to illegal felling of trees and encroachment of human settlers on forest areas.
Under a partnership with local communities, the Kenya Forest Service will work with registered associations to train members of the public on prevention, detection, and suppression of fire outbreaks.
