Over 1,450 acres of forestland have been destroyed by fire at Maasai Mau forest in Narok County, Narok County Conservator Daniel Mkung has said.

According to Mkung, the fire has also triggered an increase in human-wildlife conflicts leading to the death of two people killed on different dates by elephants that were running out of the forestland to look for safer ground.

“The two were killed near the Olposimoru Forest by the wild animals that were looking for safer grounds after the forest caught fire,” he said.

Among the areas affected, he said, are Kitoben, Chebitet, Kass FM, Chebirir, Sierra Leone, Osiya and Kabarak areas where the government evicted people from the forest four years ago.

Mkung who spoke in his office today said most of the vegetation affected is dry grass and bamboo trees that are easily flammable.

“The total area where people were evicted is 13, 000 hectares. However, we have managed to plant trees in only 3, 000 hectares meaning over 10, 000 hectares have grass growing,” he said.

While saying that the Mau Forest is the biggest water catchment land in Kenya, Mkung called on well-wishers and organizations to volunteer to help put off the fire that is spreading very fast.

“Communities around the forest have done a marvellous job because they have joined with the forest officers to put off the fire. There is a local group dubbed ‘Olive’ that has been working with the forest officers since the fire started,” he said.

He reiterated that the fire could have been caused by arsonists, whose intention could be to destroy the forestland or grazers whose animals feed in the forest with the intention to wipe out ticks and allow the grass to regenerate.

Other possible causes of the fire, he said, are careless honey harvesters who use primitive methods to harvest honey or the fire could have just occurred naturally due to friction caused by the windy and hot weather.

The fire at the Mau Forest was first seen on February 3, 2023, at Olposimoru forest and has since been detected in other parts of the forest.