Flames that raged Kenya's Aberdare National Park were contained by firefighters after 48 hours, local media reported Monday.

The fire started Saturday night, according to an official working for Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the government body in charge of national parks, who said the fire was “moving very fast”.

More than 550 hectares of Kenya's Aberdare forest were destroyed by the fire, Kenya Forest Service (KFS) said Monday adding that arson is suspected to be behind the inferno.

A team comprising of community members, officers from KWS, KFS and conservation groups worked to put out the fires until Monday afternoon when the fire was contained.

Following the containment operation, response groups began mopping up the smouldering areas to prevent the fire from reigniting.

“The fires have been contained but there is a danger they can re-ignite but the teams will mop up the smouldering areas. We have had times when the undergrowth is still smouldering like a charcoal kiln and can get set off again with lots of wind. But for now, the flames above ground are out,” Executive Director for Mount Kenya Trust, Sussie Weeks said.

Kenya Forest Service has warned of imminent fire danger season as heightened surveillance begins in forested areas across the Mt. Kenya ecosystem.

“During this period the vegetation dries up and makes it vulnerable to fires. We are at very early stages of the fire season because it usually starts mid-February or end of February but we are monitoring the weather patterns,” KFS head of conservancy Samuel Ihure said.

Conservation authorities and groups heighten surveillance during the fire danger season as well as put up preventive measures in forested areas such as creating fire breaks and clearing dry vegetation.

(With input from agencies)