Forest fires “under control”

The forest fires that broke out last month in southeastern Ethiopia’s Bale and Borena regions of Oromiya State have reportedly been brought under control. The team leader for Forestry and Wildlife in the ministry of agriculture, Million Bekele, told IRIN on Thursday that although there were still fires in some areas, “there is a great difference compared to what it was, even last week”. “The fires have been controlled through the help of experts who equipped the local people with the right skills to put them out,” he said. “NGOs and government ministries are also greatly involved in the fight,” he added. He said the fires had been “sporadic” and were mainly caused by human activity. “Farmers are burning their farms in preparation for cultivation when the rains fall,” he said.