Veld fires a threat to tourism sustainability

CONCERTED stakeholder efforts are required in curbing the incidence of veld fires in Matabeleland North Province as this poses negative effects on the natural ecosystem and is a huge threat to tourism sustainability.

Zimbabwe is prone to veld fires during the fire season, which began last month and in recent years these fires have led to the loss of humans and wildlife, and the destruction of pastures and property, among others.

Last year, a total of 10 people died in Esigodini in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South while trying to put out a veld fire.

For Matabeleland North Province, which has many tourist attractions including one of the seven wonders of the world, Victoria Falls, veld fires are a serious threat to tourism sustainability.

The province is also home to Hwange National Park, the country’s biggest animal sanctuary among many other tourist attractions.

The Government is conducting consultations with relevant stakeholders before issuing out the period for this year’s fire season after climate change necessitated the departure from the July 31 to October 31 fire season.

For the past six years, Matabeleland North Province has been on number two nationally in terms of most hectares destroyed by veld fires and last year 399 622,79 hectares were lost from 172 215 hectares recorded in 2021.

Of major concern is that a majority of the veld fires are being recorded at gazetted areas, which lost 288 635,1 hectares in 2022 fire period.

Speaking during a provincial anti-fire campaign meeting organised by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) on Friday, Matabeleland North secretary for provincial affairs, Ms Sithandiwe Ncube, in a speech read on her behalf by the principal administrator, Mr Dhasai Parenda, warned the province risks harming its tourism status due to the veld fires.

“We have not been performing well in terms of fire management. We are number two as of the 2022 fire season looking at the hectares destroyed by fire. This is not a good picture for the province as we are topping for wrong reasons,” she said.

“This affects the province’s attractiveness as a tourism destination, among other implications. This obviously will not be acceptable if we are to achieve Vision 2030 as an empowered upper-middle-income nation.

“The onus is upon us to be generation minded as we proffer solutions for posterity. Future generations must not be negatively affected by our inaction.”

EMA Matabeleland North provincial manager, Mrs Chipo Mpofu-Zuze, said a majority of the fires were being recorded at gazetted areas like national parks.

She said Hwange, Lupane, Binga, and Umguza districts have previously recorded most of the fires.

“The province lost 399 622,79 hectares in 2022 coming from 172 215 in 2021, which shows that we recorded an increase of 132 percent.

“Most of the areas that have been burnt are in gazetted places, which lost 288, 635 hectares representing a 72,23 percent of the area burnt. Our concern as a province is about strategies that can help us reduce fires in our protected areas,” said Mrs Mpofu-Zuze.

“The most affected wards in Hwange were Wards 1, 18, and 19, which comprise of parks, forest, and A2 resettlement areas.

“In Lupane the most affected wards were 24, 25, and 26, which are forest areas, conservancies, and resettlement areas. The causes of the fires have been attributed to suspected poaching activities in these protected areas with bee smoking making a minor contribution.”

In other areas, Mrs Mpofu-Zuze said land clearing activities using fire for agricultural purposes is the major contributor.

She said Hwange District alone lost 171 511,0 hectares, Lupane 139 639,59 hectares, Binga 29 454,48 and Bubi 28 527,02 hectares while Umguza lost 20 802,28.

With such a negative picture, there is a need for the province to adopt sound and effective strategies that will significantly reduce the hectares burnt.

During the meeting, which was attended by officials from local authorities and Government departments, participants discussed fire prevention measures for the forthcoming season and interrogated ways to strengthen them.

Some districts like Binga showed great preparedness as they are working with various stakeholders including non-governmental organisations that have supported the council to purchase firefighting equipment and are also using the geographical information system to map veld fires. — @themkhust