KFS enlightens communities on forest fires as season nears

The Kenya Forest Service has started enlightening communities living in forests on how to deal with fires during outbreaks.

Coordinator forest conservancies at KFS Francis Kariuki on Thursday said the fires can be observed inside the forest, at home and even along the roads.                          

He noted that the KFS officers will be conducting open meetings with members of their community forest associations as well as residents of villages that neighbour forests across the country.

Kariuki said the KFS resolved to start meeting the communities since the dry season seems to have started and roads which are inside the forests have been blocked by bushes.

“The long and heavy rains we witnessed left vegetation having grown inside our forests. They have blocked all our roads and paths,” he said.

Kariuki said when roads inside forests are cleared and a fire breaks out, fire engines will move with ease to control the flames from spreading.

“Fires have left losses in our forests. Even when we get fire brigade, their fire engines cannot get paths to pass through to control the infernos,” he said.

“The KFS would not want to go back there again. We want to keep our roads open, clear and passable,”Kariuki added.

He spoke at Uplands Forest at Kibera block in Ngarariga area in Limuru subcounty.

The CFA members and the community partnered with the KFS to open a 7km road inside the forest.

Kariuki represented KFS chief conservator Alex Lemarkoko who was supposed to be the chief guest but was held up by duties.

He was accompanied by Kiambu county forest conservator Peter Ng’ang’a and his two deputies, Joseph Macharia and Caroline Njeru, as well as Uplands forest station manager Isaac Waweru.

Kariuki said that the KFS was doing all it can to protect trees so as to hit the 15 billion target President William Ruto wants achieved before 2032.

He also noted that the KFS had observed a drop in forest destruction and illegal cutting of trees since the presidential order of achieving 30 per cent tree cover by 2032.

CFA member Joseph Macharia asked the government to tarmac roads inside the forests where they can start kiosks and start attracting local and international tourists.

“If roads inside the forests can be tarmacked, they can attract tourists and at the same time, we can start kiosks where we can be selling some items and food stuff,” Macharia said.

Ng’ang’a urged people not to relax but to keep on planting trees inside the forests and at their homes.

“Everyone has a target. Here in the county, every person has target of planting 30 trees and more per year,” Ng’ang’a said.

He applauded locals for turning up in large numbers to learn, urging them to keep attending such forums to learn about forestry and environment.