A huge fire has broken out at Nairobi National Park near the Southern Bypass - ICD Road junction, raising serious concerns over wildlife safety and environmental damage.


The blaze was reported on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at around 5:45 PM near The Curve Hotel, with flames consuming large sections of the park's dry grassland. Photos and videos from the scene obtained by KTN News and Standard Media show towering flames and thick black smoke billowing into the sky, visible from as far as Langata Road and Wilson Airport.


According to http://Kenyans.co.ke and People Daily reports filed at 8:39 PM, firefighters from Nairobi County Government, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) responded quickly with fire engines and water bowsers to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further into the park's interior.


The cause of the fire remains unknown. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had not issued an official statement on the incident by the time of publication, leaving questions about whether the fire was accidental, caused by human activity such as discarded cigarettes, or a deliberate act.


The incident comes at a time when several parts of the country are experiencing hot and dry weather conditions. The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast high temperatures of up to 29 degrees Celsius in Nairobi over the next five days, with Monday and Thursday expected to record the highest daytime temperatures. Dry vegetation during such weather significantly increases the risk of park and forest fires.


This is not the first time Nairobi National Park has experienced such an incident. In February 2025, a similar fire broke out near Mlolongo, disrupting Madaraka Express passenger services between Nairobi Terminus and Athi River after affecting the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line. In 2024, two fires were reported, one near Wilson Airport along the Southern Bypass and another in the Athi Basin Dam area, both contained through combined efforts of KWS and Nairobi City County.


Nairobi National Park is home to over 100 mammal species, including lions, endangered black rhinos, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and more than 400 bird species. It is not yet clear if any wildlife has been injured or displaced by the current fire. Motorists using the Southern Bypass and ICD Road were advised to exercise caution due to smoke reducing visibility and to follow instructions from emergency response teams on the ground.