Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has said the Mt. Kenya forest fire, which started on September 1, has consumed over 3,000 hectares of land.
As of Monday, 85% of the fire has been contained.
Over 400 personnel, including 100 from Kenya Forest Service (KFS), 144 from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), community members, and key partners, have been deployed.
So far, no casualties have been reported.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that the fire is spreading quickly due to certain invasive plant species found in the area.
While large wild animals have not been affected by the fire, small animals like rats and squirrels have been burnt.
She added that the fire serves as a lesson for the government to improve its current mitigation efforts and rapid deployment response for similar incidents.
