A quiet afternoon in Natirae Village, Nabilatuk District, turned into a nightmare after a group of youths set dry bushes on fire while hunting rats for food, only for the flames to spiral out of control and sweep through several homesteads. By the time the fire died down, families were left with nothing but ashes, shattered shelter, and an urgent need for humanitarian help.
Residents say the blaze grew rapidly because of the dry weather, giving them no time to save their belongings. Those who rushed in to help watched helplessly as the fire expanded from a small patch of burning grass to a full-scale village disaster.
Joseph Ilukol, one of the first people on the scene, said the community tried desperately to contain the fire but lacked enough water and manpower.
“The heat was overwhelming and the flames kept growing. We fought it for hours, but we simply couldn’t stop it,” Ilukol explained.
For mothers like Margret Nakwang, the shock was unbearable. She says she noticed the thick smoke rising and ran with neighbours to help, but the fire was already swallowing homes.
Natirae Parish Chief, Timothy Teko, confirmed that the affected families have lost all their property, including food, clothing and household items. He called for emergency assistance, saying the families need food, bedding and temporary shelter to survive the coming weeks.
He appealed to the central government, district authorities and humanitarian partners to urgently support the displaced families before the situation worsens.
Burning bushes to flush out rats is a long-standing practice in parts of Karamoja, especially during the hunger season when rats become a critical source of food. However, the tradition has now sparked a painful debate, as more communities face the threat of wildfires triggered by such activities.
Natirae Village is now counting its losses as leaders and relief agencies assess the damage and determine how best to assist families who went to bed with homes and woke up with nothing.