CS Miano urges vigilance as wildfires contained, vows to protect National Parks

Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife. Speaking on Saturday at Nairobi National Park. 

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has assured Kenyans that the government is fully committed to safeguarding the country’s national parks and wildlife amid a recent wave of wildfires.

Speaking at Nairobi National Park on Saturday morning, CS Miano assessed the damage caused by a fire that affected 210 acres of the park’s 28,000-acre expanse. She confirmed that the blaze, located near Kitengela, had been fully contained and that game drives within the park remained unaffected.

Miano commended the swift response by firefighters, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and local communities, who worked tirelessly to put out the fires.

“I extend my sincere gratitude to our brave firefighters and partners for their relentless efforts in containing these wildfires,” she said. “The government remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting these invaluable natural resources for future generations.”

CS Miano assures Kenyans of wildfires contained

Kenya has recently faced multiple wildfires across several national parks and protected areas. According to CS Miano, all fires have been successfully contained except for one ongoing blaze in Ruma National Park, Homa Bay County, where firefighters are working round the clock to extinguish the flames.

Other affected parks includes:

Nairobi National Park – Two fires broke out on Thursday, one near Wilson Airport along the Southern Bypass and another in the Athi Basin Dam area. Both were quickly contained.

Aberdare Ecosystem – A major fire near Karuru Falls and Elephant Hill was tackled with ground teams and helicopters. Smaller fires in Embaringo, Wanjohi, and Gatare were also extinguished.

South Island National Park (Marsabit County) – A fire that began on February 17 burned 60 square kilometers before being contained after four days.

Mt. Elgon National Park – A fire in Kimothon Forest near Saum was controlled before it spread to critical bamboo forests.

Tsavo West National Park – Fires that broke out on Friday have been fully contained.

Miano attributed the wildfires to various human activities, including honey harvesting, farm clearing, arson, cultural beliefs that fire attracts rain, and careless disposal of cigarette butts. These activities, combined with extreme dry conditions and rising temperatures, have created a perfect storm for fire outbreaks.

Kenya typically experiences two peak fire seasons—January to March and August to September. Miano urged the public to remain vigilant and report any signs of fire outbreaks to authorities.

“The government has mobilized all necessary resources to address this crisis,” she says

While a full assessment of the environmental impact is still underway, Miano acknowledged that some wildlife had been affected by the fires. KWS is actively working to rescue and rehabilitate injured animals, and efforts will be made to restore damaged habitats.

“This crisis highlights the urgent need for collective action in protecting our environment,” she said. “Small preventive actions, such as avoiding activities that could spark fires and disposing of cigarette butts responsibly, can make a big difference.”