SOARING temperatures have forced organizers of the Safari Rally to shorten the first and second legs of the competition through the hilly countryside to the southwest of Nairobi. With only 10 days to go before the start of the Safari, considered one of the toughest in the world championship circuit, temperatures have reached nearly 29C and there are no signs of rain. Organizers expect the event to be one of the driest and dustiest competitions in recent years. Course clerk Michael Hughes warned that with road surface temperatures soaring above 30C, the right choice of tyres will determine the survival rate for the drivers. The drivers, led by reigning world champion Tommi Makinen, start their mandatory 10-day practice on Wednesday.