Social media videos showing what appeared to be an eruption of Mount Longonot caused widespread panic among Kenyans, but the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has debunked these claims as dangerous misinformation.

• The supposed eruption was actually bushfires, a recurring hazard in Mount Longonot National Park, often caused by human activities such as discarded cigarettes or deliberate burning.
• KWS confirmed this is not the first instance of such misinformation, citing a similar incident in 2022.
• The last confirmed eruption of Mount Longonot was in 1863, making it a dormant volcano for over 160 years, though it remains under continuous monitoring by KWS due to its location within the active East African Rift system.