‘Let’s reduce fire-related deaths to zero’

Talent Chimutambgi Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT is striving to curb veld fire-related deaths and protect properties in its quest to attain an upper middle-income status by 2030, National Fire Committee (NFC) chairperson Mr Maxwell Maturure has said.

Mr Maturure said this while presenting the 2018 veld fire report and the 2019 fire forecast at a NFC meeting held in Harare yesterday.

He said veld fires were inhibiting economic growth through destroying human resources, infrastructure, plantations.
“Government has set the vision of attaining a middle upper income economy by 2030, but veld fires are slowing this economic growth as they destroy vital economic enablers which include human resources,” said Mr Maturure. He urged communities to come up with plans to curb the spread of veld fires.

“It is unfortunate to note that five lives were lost to veld fires in 2018 and six in 2017, and further destroyed infrastructure worth over $358 500 with most of them includes agriculture equipment, plantations and household equipment,” he said.
He encouraged communities to put in place standard fire guards to save life and property.

Awareness campaigns conducted since last year were beginning to yield positive results.
“Last year’s fire season recorded a reduction in fire incidences from 2 705 in 2017 to 1 595,” he said.