Fires Tear Through Kenyan Reserve

About one third of Kenya’s Lake Nakuru National Park has been left smoldering by a series of wildfires still tearing through the wildlife reserve.

Conservation officials said remaining sparks could re-ignite the blaze across a wide area, including nearby tin-hut villages, The Telegraph reported Sunday.

The first fire was started by a villager burning garbage at the Rift Valley ranch owned by Hugh Cholmondeley. The ranch adjoins the park.

A second fire started Friday morning in a settlement close to the Nderit gate of the park, 140 miles northwest of Nairobi.

No one was injured in the fires and park rangers have been searching for wounded or dead animals.

We think they have mostly escaped, but there are parts which have not been safe to reach until now, said Charles Muthui, Nakuru’s senior warden.