Over 80% of households depend on firewood, driving forest degradation and increasing the burden on women and children who spend hours collecting fuelwood. Yet, there is strong community awareness of clean energy options, with biomass briquettes, biogas, and solar identified as the most promising solutions.

Effective disaster risk governance must be local, grounded in communities and integrated into mainstream urban planning frameworks.

Preparedness works best when it is local, practical, and shared among neighbours. Disasters don’t just happen, they are planned into cities through poor governance and can be planned out through better choices. By understanding where risks concentrate and why, residents can take simple steps to safeguard their homes and hold institutions accountable.

Informal settlements make up a huge part of Kenya’s urban landscape, yet they are often left out of official plans and services. In Kiandutu, one of the largest settlements outside of Nairobi, fire outbreaks are a regular threat to safety and livelihoods.

Resilience begins where people stand together prepared, informed, and ready. Effective disaster response doesn’t start when an alarm sounds; it begins with daily habits, shared knowledge, and local leadership. 

his work provides the data and insights needed to create evidence-based conservation strategies. It's a call to action for local communities and policymakers to work together to protect this essential resource, contributing to global goals for climate action and life on land (SDGs 13 and 15).