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Forest fires which broke out 22 days ago in the Borena and Bale regions of Oromiya state, southeast Ethiopia, are still blazing uncontrollably. “It has become worse in some areas,” the head of Ethiopia’s natural resources department in the agriculture ministry, Tamiru Habte, said on Friday. He told IRIN that although the fires were being contained in some areas, dry and windy weather conditions “were aiding their spread” in others. Tamiru said more fire-fighting crews and a spotter plane were expected from South Africa on Friday night. The 21-member team would be deployed to help bring under control about 200 fires which are said to have destroyed some 2,200 sq km of land. Tamiru stressed the operation was still in dire need of tools and food assistance for the fire fighters. “A friend in need is a friend indeed, “ he said. [See also separate IRIN story “Raging fires wiping out wildlife, property”:
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