Wildfires are a significant issue for preserves like the Ol Ari Nyiro Conservancy. High temperatures and low levels of rainfall reached a breaking point last year in this wildlife refuge. 20% of the conservancy burned because of a wildfire. Rain has fallen for months and months since, grass has grown very tall and soon the winds of January, as every year, will dry it, and it will become inflammable as tinder. The need for firebreaks to alleviate the potential dangers is of the utmost necessity.
In March and April of 2012, a vast fire swept through Ol Ari Nyiro, burning almost 20% of the Conservancy. Arid seasonality and high temperatures threaten the conservancy again this year, so the need for firebreaks is critical. Without them, the Conservancy is at high risk of damage by wildfire.
This project will support the Conservancy in paying for fuel and maintenance of a bulldozer and trucks, workers' wages, and transportation costs. The project would provide support for the Conservancy to build some 300 km of firebreaks to mitigate the impact of future wildfires.
By widening and creating new firebreaks, we can help to ensure that the impact of wildfires will be lessened by a significant degree. This project would protect the fragile yet abundant biodiversity of the Conservancy, which has taken generations to become what it is today; it would also minimize the possibility of fires for years to come.
