Two officers from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have died while battling the ongoing fire that broke out at Aberdares forest 11 days ago.
According to KWS services director in charge of partnership Simon Gitau, the two died on Monday while in the line of duty.
"The two officers were in a group travelling to the scene when the vehicle they were travelling in lost control and veered off unfortunately they were injured and died," Gitau said.
Consequently, Gitau has urged members of communities near the forest to assist in fighting the inferno which may threaten the moorland which is the source of water.
"Currently the fire is at moorland this is the water source of many rivers in Aberdare and if we have such fires often this may reduce water retention and affect water supply even in Nairobi, " Gitau stated.
The fire which started at Embaringo in Nyeri has so far spread to as far as Shamata in Nyandarua county leaving huge destruction.
The last time such fire broke was in 2012 when huge swaths of the forest were destroyed at moorland.
The KWS assistant director of mountain conservation Bakari Mungumi, says they have been working day and night to try and keep the fire out, which is spreading very fast.
Bakari added that with the help of KFS, Nyeri county, Nyandarua county governments, Kenya pipeline and Rhino Ark they have deployed more than 200 personnel who are fighting the fire.
He said that the inferno has so far destroyed more than 40,000 acres of the forest.
