The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE country is targeting to reduce the area of land being burnt by veld fires annually by 25 percent.
Last year a total of 1 158 291.57 hectares of land was affected by fire from 1 508 fire incidences. The country lost property worth over $5 269 655 comprising household goods and agricultural equipment while four lives were lost due to the fires.
In a statement to mark the national fire week launch on Friday, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, said in order to reach this target there was need for unity of purpose and working in unison to sustainably manage veld fires.
The fire week is commemorated in the second week of May every year.
“As we forge ahead into 2020, we aim towards a minimum of 25 percent reduction of burnt area annually in order to create a negative veld fire trajectory until sustainable fire management levels are attained. This can only be achieved through collective action towards prevention of veld fires.
“In 2019 a total of 1 158 291.57 hectares of land was affected by fire from 1 508 fire incidences. This translates to 2,68 percent decrease in area burnt and 5,45 percent decrease in fire incidences compared to 2018 where 1 595 incidences of fire were recorded and 1 190 174 hectares affected. The country lost property worth over $5 269 655 comprising household goods and agricultural equipment. Worse, regrettably four human lives were also lost due to these fires,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu said the environmental damage by fire could be minimised through implementing pre-fire season suppression measures. He said if everyone adhered to the national fire strategy and implemented fire prevention measures the surge of uncontrolled veld fires could be contained.
Minister Ndlovu urged community members to construct standard fire guards that are nine by nine metres wide in and around all farms and homesteads. He also encouraged training of fire-fighting teams and putting fire equipment in place by 30 July.
He also called upon the activation of fire management structures in both communal lands and resettlement areas who would urgently ensure that all fire management initiatives must be put in place before the onset of the fire season.
“I appeal to all Members of Parliament, particularly those from rural constituencies to use their leadership influence to encourage communities in their respective constituencies to desist from engaging in activities that cause veld fires. I call upon all Government Ministries and departments, the private sector and Non-Governmental Organisations to mainstream veld fire management principles into all their programmes so as to intensify public awareness on dangers of uncontrolled fires,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu also called upon the Environmental Management Agency (Ema), Zimbabwe Republic Police, Forestry Commission, traditional leaders and local authorities to work together towards taking stern measures against the violators of environmental legislation in order to reduce environmental offences including veld fire offences.
He said this year’s national fire week launch, unfortunately comes at the backdrop of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic which has affected the whole world including Zimbabwe. Min Ndlovu said this year’s fire management programmes have to be strategic and alive to the threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the fire season in Zimbabwe starts on 31 July and ends on the 31 October every year, the national fire week falls during the second week of May and is meant to raise awareness on the sustainable management of veld fires.
This year the national fire week is being launched under the theme “Sustaining biodiversity — Prevent Veld Fires”. The theme underscores the importance of judiciously preserving our environment in the wake of run-away fires which Zimbabwe experiences annually.
@DubeMatutu
