Chronicle Editor
Angela Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
FIVE people died during last year’s fire season and almost 1 million hectares of land was destroyed by veld fires.
According to Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 on Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystem Protection Regulations the fire season in the country runs from July 31 to October 31 every year.
According to statistics gathered by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East Provinces were the most affected province by veld fires. Mashonaland west recorded the highest number of cases of veld fires.
EMA Environmental Education and Publicity manager Mrs Amkela Sidange said increased law enforcement and community engagement attributed to the low average burnt area, a total of 6 077 fire prevention orders were issued for the construction of fire guards countrywide.
“Since the beginning of the veld fire season on the 31st of July 2021, a total of 3 948 fire incidences burning 1 033 722.86 hectares of land were recorded.
“In the 2021 fire season, the statistics show that while the burnt area and incidences are high, the average burnt area is low because communities were intensively trained on fire management and thus remained on high alert and getting together to put out the veld fires that would have started in their various areas; and this was supported by the formidable collaboration by EMA and Agritex personnel in veld fire management, especially at farm, ward and village level,” she said.
Despite Covid-19 restrictions that affected awareness campaigns, Mrs Sidange said EMA was able to raise awareness through the use of other platforms including social media.
“Following the high to extreme high veld fire risk prediction projected for the 2021 fire season, the Agency went out in full force to ensure the communities are not found flat footed in fire preparedness hence implementation of an array of strategies in fire management,” she said.
“The official launch of the veld fire awareness was officiated in May by the Minister of Climate, Tourism and Hospitality, Hon Minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu and this accelerated veld fire awareness campaign at farm, ward and village level which resulted in a total of 2 246 meetings, 395 talk shows, 620 road shows, 161 training sessions and 281 media activities being held focusing on fire management.”
Mrs Sidange also said the deaths due from veld fires in 2021 were dominated by women and children who proved to be more vulnerable to fire disasters.
“During the 2021 veld fire season a total of five fatalities have been recorded compared to four fatalities in the 2020 veld fire season translating to 25 percent increase.
Vulnerability of children and women to veld fires came under the spotlight this fire season as two minor siblings and two women lost their lives to veld fires,” she said.
Mrs Sidange said resettlements dominated with high reports of veld fires.
“The majority of the veld fires were in the resettlements (47,62 percent), Safari Areas (13,40 percent), communal lands (12,21 percent), National Parks (8,77 percent), Small-scale farms (6,26 percent), Forest (5,37 percent), Model A and D (5,89 percent), Urban Area (0,18 percent), Other land (0,15 percent), and Recreational parks (0,15 percent) in that order of severity,” she said.
As the country continues to receive normal to above rainfall, Mrs Sidange said it is important for communities to anticipate high biomass growth which will fuel veld fires in the next fire season that will begin in July.
Mrs Sidange also urged the public to avoid starting veld fires and to mobilise the existing local structures in the putting out the fires when they occur.
Online Reporter