FIRES: Outbreak wipes out forests

In a span of one week, 53 hectares of trees along with other vegetation, in three separate forests all located in Taita-Taveta County, have been decimated by unexplainable fires.

Mwambirwa Forest, one of those affected, had thousands of its trees and vegetation pulverised, all of which covered an area of 45 hectares.

The other two forests devastated were Wesu and Fururu forests which lost five and three hectares of vegetation respectively.

The County Forestry Conservator Allan Ongere says the fire at Mwambirwa Forest may have been caused by illegal honey harvesters, while those in Wesu and Feruru may have resulted from farmers clearing the lands adjoining the forests, in preparation for the planting season.