The risk of fire increased as a result of the dry Hamatan wind that blew across Sierra Leone in January 2013. Several villages in the Northern and Southern Provinces were affected by fire disasters between 2-28 Jan, destroying 279 houses and making 450 families (2,257 individuals) homeless. Plastic sheets, kitchen sets, buckets, mosquito tents, soap, mats, blankets and shelter kits were distributed. As of 9 Feb, massive rehabilitation and reconstruction of houses is going on in each of the affected locations. (IFRC, 19 Feb 2013)