adminVeld fires have become one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time, causing so much destruction to Zimbabwe’s natural resources, property and human life. In the past five years, a number of people died as a result of veld fires during the dry season. Millions of dollars’ worth of property, vast tracts of land, plantations, crops and pastures were also destroyed by veld fires, compromising the nation’s food security and nutrition status.Research has shown that; smokers, people who fish at night, honey harvesters, travellers waiting for early morning buses and hunters are the major culprits who cause the veld fires in Zimbabwe. The Environmental Management Agency strongly believes in stakeholder participation in order to achieve a veld fire free environment. It is everyone’s responsibility to manage the environment in a sustainable manner during this fire season and therefore stakeholder participation is upheld. The fire season is the period between July 31 and October 31 each year. However, due to the changes in climatic conditions, the fire season extends till the inception of the rainy season.
The following stakeholders are critical in veld fire management:
Traditional Leaders
They play a pivotal role in fire management and they are empowered under the traditional leaders Act to apprehend and prosecute environmental law offenders including those that breach veld fire regulations. They also act as the governing body to the ancient customs and practices of clans, tribes, states, chiefdoms and kingdoms in protecting their resources. Traditional Leaders are encouraged to:
Spearhead the construction of standard fireguards in their communities.
Establish fire – fighting teams within the local communities who will lead the rest of the community in extinguishing veld fires.
Use traditional courts to sanction veld fire offenders.
Keep a record of all the veld fire occurrences in their areas since they are on the ground and to hold fire awareness meetings and campaigns throughout the fire season.
Establish a veld fire alert system in every village such as drum beat, bell/gong or whistle.
Farmers
According to the Forest Act (Chapter 19:05) and the Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 Environmental Management (Environmental impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection) Regulations; it is an offence for land owners and occupiers not to take fire preventive measure before the onset of the fire season. Farms are vulnerable because crop residues act as fuel which is required for the occurrence of veld fires.
Farmers should construct standard fireguards every year which are 9m wide on either side of the farm boundaries and also internal fireguards which are 4,5m around plantations and fields in order to protect crops.
Inspect fireguards regularly to make sure that they are free of any combustible material, ensure that fire- fighting equipment such as; water filled knapsack sprayers and bowsers, fire beaters and sacks are at an accessible point during the fire season.
Report all fire incidences to the nearest ZRP or EMA offices within 7 days.
Have fire alert systems such as drums, whistles and bells; listen to weather personnel on the fire danger index so as to improve your state of preparedness.
Law enforcers
The ZRP is playing a pivotal role in promoting sustainable development by enforcing environmental laws and upholding the country’s constitution. The ZRP:
Holds awareness meetings with communities on veld fire management,
Assist in establishing fire-fighting teams in the local communities and
Is also involved in prosecuting offenders whose activities result in the occurrence of veld fires.
School children
This is a very important stakeholder group and we are concerned with their safety which can be compromised by veld fires. School children should: Not try to cross over veld fires as this may result in fire related fatalities, immediately report fire incidences to adults such as parents or teachers before the fires spread and should not in any way attempt to extinguish the fires in the absence of adults. Never climb trees in trying to flee from a veld fire as both the tree and the children could be burnt to death.
Bee smokers
These stakeholders should find alternative ways of honey extraction instead of using open fires, such as blowing the bees out with a super bee blower, or use of a fume board and bee repellents such as: BeeGo, Honey Robber, or Benzaldehyde. One or two ounces of any of these repellents on a fume board will “chase” the bees out of a super in 3-4 minutes and can be used many times for perhaps an hour before more repellent has to be added to the fume board.
Smokers, motorists and travellers
Smokers can play their roles in veld fire management by ensuring that they extinguish their cigarette stubs before throwing them away to avoid veld fires.
Motorists should ensure that car electrical systems are serviced and loose mechanical parts such as the exhaust must be tightened to avoid veldt fires emanating from sparks so created after getting in contact with the grass on the road servitude as you drive.
Do not drive through fire flames or areas where your vision is obscured by smoke from veld fires.
Online Reporter