3-day fire ravaging grazing fields in Isiolo, gov’t yet to intervene

Led by Borana Council of elders’ chairperson Mohamed Konso, they expressed fears of massive livestock deaths and destruction of homesteads and local institutions if the fire is not contained soonest possible.

The inferno which started in Merti, consuming grazing areas for herders in Matarba, Korbesa and Malkagalla is now spreading towards Iresaboru, Badana and Sericho, amid fears that the fast spreading fire could soon reach residential areas and destroy homesteads and local institutions if not contained.

Konso lamented that despite the fire raging on for more than 72 hours, no action has been taken by the government so far. He called upon both the national and county governments to take the disaster as a matter of emergency and move with speed to put it out before it escalates to residential areas.

He said that the cause of the fire is yet to be established, but they believe it was accidental.

Abdullahi Hajj Gonjobe, a Borana elder noted that herders sometimes prepare meals in the bushes and could have left fire unattended to, and that the local herders also harvest wild honey in the bushes and that could be another cause of the fire.

The elders said that the amount of pasture that has already been consumed by the fire could have supported both livestock and wildlife for another two years. The impact of the disaster will massively affect livelihoods for the local community in the near future.

They noted that area residents have tried their best to put out the inferno to no avail since they lack appropriate equipment for the task. The community appealed to the government to move with speed and deploy aeroplanes that will fast track the process of extinguishing the fire before it causes more harm.