The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
OVER 46 000 hectares of land were destroyed in Masvingo province during last year’s fire season, a steep increase from the 10 000 hectares destroyed in 2020 amid revelations that the Environmental Management Agency is working to regularise the extension of the fire season to end of November as a result of climate change.
Nationally, there was a decrease of 66 278 hectares from 1 100 000 in 2020 to 1 033 722 in 2021. Masvingo province lost two people to the fires out of the eight who died nationally.
In a statement released by the agency in Masvingo during the veld fire awareness week which is under the theme “Veld fires, a food security threat- Protect the Harvest” a total of 46 560.28 hectares was destroyed in Masvingo.
Land preparation was cited as the major cause of the fires. The other causes recorded were suspected poaching,hunting, tick disease control, arson, electricity or powerline failure, burning of waste, charcoal making, bee smoking and fires left unattended.
“Veld fires are indeed an environmental challenge given their wanton destruction of the environment, life, property and agricultural harvest. Each year, the country loses an average of a million hectares of forests and grasslands to veld fires, depriving wildlife and livestock of pastures. At provincial level, a total of 46 560.28 hectares of land were burnt during the fire season as compared to 10 859.23 hectares burnt in 2020.
“The most affected district was Gutu with a total area burnt of 20 219.31 hectares followed by Masvingo district with 17 598.41 hectares burnt, Bikita district had 3500.51 hectares burnt, Mwenezi had 2 619.65 hectares burnt, Chiredzi district had 2018.18 hectares burnt, Zaka district had 591.25 hectares burnt and Chivi district had 12.97 hectares destroyed. Regrettably two lives were lost in Masvingo Province, specifically in Masvingo district during the 2021 veld fire season whilst eight lives were lost nationally.”
In a bid to minimise veld fire incidences and related offences in Masvingo province during the 2021 fire season, EMA issued a total of 119 veld fire construction orders to farmers and plot holders, a total of 40 tickets and three dockets were also opened for veld fire related offences.
The agency said due to climate change the fire season has been extended to the end of November and has urged the communities to put up fireguards and to do thatch harvesting.
“The rainfall experienced in the province and country at large has resulted in excessive fuel load build-up (grass biomass production) in most parts of the province increasing the risk of veld fires in the year 2022. As EMA we therefore urge the communities to put in place pre-veld fire suppression measures like fireguards, undertake hay baling, thatch grass harvesting and have readily functional and well-equipped firefighting teams.
hay baling
“The fire season is defined under Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection Regulations where it is clearly stated that the 31st of July to the 31st of October each year is a period where people are not supposed to use fire outside the residential and commercial premises.
However, due to climate change and variability, in consultation of the Meteorological Services Department and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement and has deemed necessary, out of abundance of caution that the 2022 fire season to start from the 31st of July to the 30th of November 2022, having witnessed veld fire occurrences outside the stipulated dates due to impacts of climate change. We are now working on the relevant amendment to the said statutory instrument,” reads part of the statement.
