These evil fires.. the Ndotos are crying…

Its hard to believe that people, yes people, who live off the land, can be so uncontrolled and destructive.. Once again.. the Ndoto mountains have been burnt, not once, not twice BUT 4 enormous fires have raged across the west side of the mountain destroying every thing in their paths… We are even doubting our trust in the Samburu elders being able to keep the tribe together.. How could a bunch of unruly, misinformed youngsters go so crazy with a box of matches so freely… These fires have been driving our caring Milgis scouts and Ilkiramats to insanity..

We would first like to thank the Kenya Wildlife Service from Ngurnit for coming to help, when we were at our wits end.. They were fantastic, but we must NOT stop there!..

THE MILGIS TRUST NEEDS HELP FROM THE KENYA FOREST SERVICE to STOP This now .. and forever more.. The perpetrators need to be questioned  and punished..

AND…….

We need funding to make a film to show the communities what they are doing to themselves.. PLEASE!.. We are reaching out to all you good people..

the beautiful Ndoto mountains are on fire.. this photo was taken at night.. using the moon light !.. The 4th fire.. All the area to the right, and out of the picture has already been burnt..

The areas affected are the upper parts of the Sererit, Parkenua valleys.. Sererit is the biggest river flowing out of the Ndotos .. I’m sure it will be severely affected..

We are heading fast into a harsh drought… Every one is desperate for water.. What are these guys thinking???

Alamisio is burning..

fires raging on through out the day and night..

This fire one week

then very soon another one out of control, destroying the mountain that feeds and waters so many people, livestock and wildlife.. These pictures are taken from 30 kms away at night.. imagine how big it is!..

MILGIS NEEDS HELP FROM THE AUTHORITIES..  THE Ndotos need help.. There are some completely crazy people on this mountain.. About one third of the west side of the mountain has been destroyed..

Do we need to remind them of what happened on the other side of the mountain.. Does it take people to be drowned and 100 and 1000s of animals to die before they realise what they are doing by lighting up 1 match.. See my blog ‘adventure and Thanks’ sept 18

this was the damage last year on the east side..

In April 2018… The east side of the Ndotos, above Arsim, became one solid mass of flowing water, mud, rocks, trees, gouging out new rivulets, and 1000s and 1000’s of animals, reptiles, insects and even people were killed…

the mountain tumbled down.. bringing trees, rocks, earth, and half the mountain, …  rivers dried up, and there was death all round..

Now people have burn’t one third of the other side.. WE HAVE TO STOP THIS NOW…

Digby headed off up into the mountains to capture the damage on film, and eventually they will be part of our new  film..    ‘STOP THESE FIRES’

the images that follow are just a little bit of the damage..

Very hot fires have completly destroyed thousand of acres of the mountain.. down to mere earth is some places..

such a hot fire that there is nothing left to hold the soil..

This is sandalwood.. a protected species.. and theres plenty that has been burnt… We fear that it is possible??? we have no proof,  that because some of the residents of the area were stopped taking the sandalwood out, they are now the ones who are burning the mountain so that they can get a permit to take firewood out of the forest, from KFS, and this is one way they can get their hands on the sandalwood???

WE ASK THE KFS ( Kenya Forest services) not to give them that pleasure.. PLEASE DO NOT ISSUE FIREWOOD COLLECTING PERMITS around the Ndotos..

utter destruction

100’s.. 1000’s of acres of mountain burn’t by youngsters, .. who have NO IDEA WHAT they are doing to their OWN future!..

You see the whole mountain side behind is burn’t in the first fire, if that wasn’t enough then they came back and set fire to this ridge…

NOTHING LEFT to hold the mountain.. These youngsters are so unruly, its just nuts.. You try to talk to them and they just light another part of the mountain…

This ridge sinjed, the next one beyond repair..

A VERY HOT FIRE..

 

The little bit of greenery coming back is because the Ndotos were lucky to get a small drop of rain…

With all this utter crazyness I had to add these 3 photos to the bottom to calm my mind.. and yours.. not all humans are bad!.. We were down at Baringo the other day and I saw this very sweet scene, a fisherman being kind to a hammer kop!!.. LONG LIVE THAT MAN!!

Here you are .. a fish for you!!!

Got his fish but quite happy to land back on the front of the boat!

Smiles all round… And a happy hammerkop!

the morral of the story… or lets say the conclusion..  The MILGIS TRUST is looking for funding to make a film on the burning and the repercussions.. after the success of our film ‘RAMATE E LOSHO” ( looking after society) and the good outcome of people on every showing, and the discussions after, many people are now thinking of their future seriously!… SO we feel that a film IS THE WAY FORWARD!!  any one willing to help fund it.. PLEASE!!  We need $20000..