We reported a fire outbreak at Mt Kenya which was reported to have sparked from a campsite in Chogoria. As of Tuesday 26th the inferno was still spreading to unknown acres of land around Mt Kenya, Officials in the area confirm that vegetation has been destroyed and many animals have been killed this fire.
An official Mr Wilson Njeru who works at the Chogoria-Kinondoni Lodge-Lake Ellis route while speaking to media, said there would be a drop in business since tourists would avoid the route. “Whenever there is fire outbreak on Tharaka-Nithi County side, tourists use Silmon and Naromoru routes to climb the mountain,” said Mr Njeru.
He said apart from destroying vegetation and killing wildlife, other animals flee to other sections of the park until the vegetation grows again. Despite government spending millions of shillings fighting frequent forest fires in Mount Kenya National Park, wild fires are proving rampant and are believed to be started by intruders for superstitious reasons, including beliefs that they would trigger rainfall.