Huge bush fire breaks out along Voi-Taveta Road

There was panic along the Voi-Taveta Road in Taita Taveta County after a huge bush fire broke out on the evening of Sunday, 6 September, consuming vast acres of vegetation.

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, the fire broke out at around 21:50 on Sunday, 6 September, prompting an emergency response.

The Kenya Red Cross subsequently deployed a team to the scene, working alongside the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the county fire brigade to contain the fire.

Initial reports indicated that the fire had been caused by a burst fuel tank. However, the organisation later clarified that ground teams had established that the incident was a bush fire.

“Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Wildlife Service and the County fire brigade remain on the ground working to contain a bush fire along the Voi-Taveta Road and keep nearby residents safe,” Kenya Red Cross stated.

“Note: earlier reports described this as a tanker fire. Ground teams have since confirmed it is a bush fire,” it added.

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By the time of publication, the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage had not yet been established, as the society, KWS, or the county government had issued no official statement.

The incident adds to the growing list of bushfires that have ravaged huge areas of land.

The fires have been reported to have been caused by dry weather conditions across the country, with Taita Taveta among the areas experiencing some of the most extreme dry seasons.

Two days earlier,  a massive wildfire was reported burning through the moorlands and native bamboo zones of Mount Kenya, with an estimated 100,000 hectares of moorland and critical catchment vegetation destroyed or threatened.

The fire is suspected to have been started by human activity, possibly by wild honey harvesters or people clearing land. However, no official report has yet established its cause.

Other wildfires have also been reported in the Aberdares and other parts of the country over the years.

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