According to reports from the Fire, Disasters, and Rescue Office in Arua, at least 60 fire cases have been recorded from January 2025 to date, with several others going unreported. The police say this number is alarmingly high.
The West Nile Fire and Rescue Department of the Uganda Police Force has called for the establishment of more fire stations and additional firefighting equipment to manage the increasing number of fire incidents, especially during the dry season.
Currently, the regional fire department, headquartered in Arua City, is responsible for twelve districts and one city, stretching from Adjumani to Pakwach, yet operates with only two fire trucks. This limited capacity makes it difficult to respond effectively to fire outbreaks, leading to significant losses.
According to reports from the Fire, Disasters, and Rescue Office in Arua, at least 60 fire cases have been recorded from January 2025 to date, with several others going unreported.
The police say this number is alarmingly high.
The most recent incidents include a suspected arson attack in Madi Okollo, where dozens of grass-thatched houses were set on fire, destroying property worth millions. In Arua City, unknown individuals ignited unsorted garbage at a dumping site, forcing firefighters to battle the flames for two days.
Another case in Arivu Sub-County, Arua District, involved a nursery school child who accidentally set fire to four grass-thatched houses while attempting to light a cooking fire. Police attribute most fire outbreaks to human error, including leaving ovens or open flames unattended overnight, bush burning by smokers and hunters, and electrical short circuits.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Michael Munguacel, the head of the Fire, Disasters, and Rescue Department in West Nile, said the department is overstretched, with limited firefighting resources. As a result, their effectiveness is restricted to areas near Arua City.
Munguacel urged the public to remain vigilant by avoiding leaving children home alone, creating firebreaks around homesteads, and acquiring basic firefighting tools such as extinguishers and alarms to help detect and prevent wildfires.
He emphasized the urgent need for two additional fire stations—one in Moyo to serve Yumbe, Obongi, and Adjumani, and another in Nebbi to cater to Pakwach, Zombo, and Madi Okollo.
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Meanwhile, Godfrey Onyiertho, the manager of the Arua City garbage management site at Euata, revealed that the city has incurred substantial costs in firefighting efforts. He urged the public to refrain from reckless fire-setting, which puts lives and property at risk.
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Less than a month ago, suspected arson attacks in Maracha District led to the destruction of several homes and public address systems. In both incidents, nothing was saved due to the distance from the Arua City fire station.
Authorities continue to push for increased investment in fire response infrastructure to mitigate the rising risk of fire-related disasters in the region.
