The Editorial Board of DN News Liberia takes a solemn look at the alarming wave of fire incidents that have swept across the country in less than four months into the dry season.
Numerous reports of fire outbreaks have led to devastating losses of lives and properties. Residential homes, government offices, private businesses, and commercial vehicles have been consumed by flames, highlighting an urgent national crisis.
The Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) is the government agency mandated to respond to fire outbreaks across the country’s fifteen political subdivisions.
As a reminder, Liberia’s dry season spans from October 15 to April 15 each year—a period characterized by increased fire risks.
To ensure effective service delivery, there is an urgent need to provide the LNFS with adequate manpower and logistical support. Failure to do so risks exacerbating the already significant losses suffered by private citizens, the government, and organizations.
Disturbingly, it has been observed that the LNFS currently operates with just one functional fire truck to serve Liberia’s population of over five million. DN News Liberia considers this an affront to the safety and security of the Liberian people.
Consequently, we call on the Liberian Senate to increase the LNFS’s budget allocation from the proposed $3 million by the Executive Branch to at least $5 million.
This increase is necessary to empower the LNFS to respond effectively to fire emergencies nationwide.
It is both disgraceful and unfortunate that Liberia, a nation endowed with abundant natural resources, still relies on outdated and ineffective methods—such as using buckets of water—to combat fires in this modern age.
This primitive approach often incites frustration among fire victims, leading to angry mobs chasing away under-resourced firefighters.
DN News Liberia further believes that if President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s administration fails to address fire outbreaks with the seriousness they demand at this early stage of the dry season, Liberia could face catastrophic fire disasters.
Such disasters could spark public outrage and erode confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens.
Over the years, the LNFS has repeatedly appealed for increased budgetary support, but successive administrations have deprioritized the agency.
For instance, while the 2024 approved budget allocated $3 million to the LNFS, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning disclosed that only $2 million was available for disbursement, raising concerns about budget transparency and commitment.
In the 2025 draft national budget, $3 million has once again been proposed for the LNFS, ostensibly to improve its operations, including the purchase of additional fire trucks.
However, this amount is grossly insufficient to address the growing fire risks faced by Liberia.
It is worth recalling that during a previous turnover ceremony, Mr. Gabriel Nmah Sr., the former Deputy Director for Administration at the LNFS, attributed the frequency of fire incidents to the agency’s inadequate budgetary allocation.
The government must act decisively to avert a national disaster.
DN News Liberia calls on lawmakers, stakeholders, and President Boakai’s administration to prioritize the safety of the Liberian people by equipping the LNFS with the necessary resources. Anything less is a failure of leadership—and Liberia cannot afford to watch its future go up in flames.
