“We Lost Everything in Minutes”: Survivors of Isiolo-Garissa Wildfire Share Their Stories

When the wildfire ripped through Modogashe, Eresaburu, and Gurufu along the Isiolo-Garissa border, it left behind more than just scorched earth.

It shattered livelihoods, displaced families, and deepened the struggle of already vulnerable communities.

The fire, which broke out in the dry, arid landscape, was finally contained by local authorities and community volunteers, with no reported casualties.

Locals said it started about lunchtime on Wednesday and the damage to their environment and livelihoods is unimaginable.

Emergency response personnel and the local community collaborated to put out the fire. It is thought to have begun in the Sabena grazing zone before spreading swiftly to neighbouring areas, including Garissa county.

Deployment of rangers by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and mobilization of members of the local community in Basa helped slightly in responding to the wildfire.

Many residents in the area are pastoralist communities and the fire came as a Nightmare. Hussein Abdi, a herder from Modogashe, described the terrifying moment he saw flames racing toward his boma.

For the 60-year-old herder, the fire was an unstoppable force that devoured everything in its path—including his source of livelihood.

“I was in the field when I saw smoke rising from a distance. At first, I thought it was just the usual burning of bushes. But within minutes, the fire was everywhere, spreading fast. My goats were near the dry shrubs, and I tried to get them out, but the flames moved too quickly. I lost more than 20 animals,” he said, his voice filled with sorrow.

For Hussein and many pastoralists like him, losing livestock is equivalent to losing a bank account.

Now, looking disturbed, he worries about how he will provide for his family.

He is a father of 16 children. His wife is a homestay wife and has supported him in attending to his livestock.

“The animals were my only source of income. Without them, I have nothing now,” said Hussein.

Pastoral communities in the region depend on livestock keeping for both income and prestige.

Garissa Livestock Market. Photo/ Yunis Dekow

According to the 2019 census, Garissa County alone had 816,057 camels, 3,857,292 goats, 2,746,577 sheep, 1,407,170 indigenous cattle, 6,063 exotic dairy cattle, 7,458 exotic beef cattle, and 47,645 farmers.

The pastoral communities in Garissa County continue to face challenges from drought and diseases, leading to livestock losses.

In 2022, the County lost over two million livestock due to poor rainfall caused by climate shocks.

Amina Noor, a 34-year-old mother of five, was preparing food for her children when she noticed a thick, black cloud of smoke creeping toward her village in Gurufu, Isiolo County.

She said within moments, the heat became unbearable. That is when she realized their home was in danger.

“I screamed for my children to run. I grabbed my youngest and tried to collect a few things. The fire was already at our doorstep. We ran without looking back,” she recalled.

By the time the fire was put out, Amina’s makeshift home was reduced to ashes.

“We lost everything—our clothes, food, and even the little savings we had kept in the house. Now, we are sleeping in the open, depending on neighbors for food,” she told Kulan Post.

A previous wildfire in Isiolo. Photo/ Courtesy

Mohamed Hassan, a 22-year-old volunteer who helped battle the flames, said the biggest challenge was the lack of water.

“We tried to put out the fire using tree branches and sand. It was not working. There was no water anywhere, and the wind kept pushing the flames further,” he said in an interview with The Kulan Post on Friday.

Despite the efforts of the volunteers and emergency services, many homes, grazing lands, and trees were consumed by the fire.

“I have never seen anything like this before. It felt like we were fighting something much bigger than us,” Mohamed said.

The fire is now out. Many families have been left with nothing but uncertainty.

“We don’t know what to do next. We need food, water, and shelter. But what we really need is help to rebuild our lives,” said Amina, gazing at the charred remains of her home.

Direct climatic factors that create a conducive environment for the start and the spread of wildfires include temperature, humidity, and winds.

Non-climatic factors include topography, soil and vegetation type. They contribute to the risk, spread, and intensity of wildfires by influencing precipitation, which subsequently impacts soil moisture and vegetation biomass.

The smoke plumes from the natural disaster pose acute respiratory health risks. It also increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The The Ministry of Interior and National Administration confirmed that a bushfire in Isiolo County consumed at least 300,000 acres of land in January.

Community leaders in Garissa and Isiolo have called for urgent support, but many are worried it will take weeks, if not months, before help arrives.

“Our people are suffering, and the situation is worsening by the day. We need immediate intervention before more livelihoods are lost,” said Mzee Mohamed Diriye, a Community Leader in Modogashe.

Mrs. Fatuma Hassan, a female community group leader in Gurufu said many families in their village have lost their homes and livestock.

“If help is delayed, we could face a humanitarian crisis,” said a troubled Fatuma.

Ahmed Noor, a livestock farmer along ghe Isolo-Garissa border said the natural disaster has destroyed their grazing lands.

“Without urgent assistance, we have nowhere to take our animals.”

The Kenya Red Cross said the wildfire waz successfully extinguished.

“Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported,” noted the humanitarian organization.

“Response teams acted swiftly to contain the fire, preventing further spread and minimizing damage,” said the Kenya Red Cross.

Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any signs of smoke or fire to local authorities to enhance safety.

The cause of the fire still remains unknown, but the dry weather in the region has made it difficult to suppress the flames.