‘Veld fires hamper fight against climate change’

Michael Magoronga

ENVIRONMENT, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has said the scourge of veld fires is a menace that every Zimbabwean must fight as part of climate change mitigation strategies.

He made the remarks in a speech to commemorate the National Veld Fire Awareness week, which is commemorated every second week of May according to Zimbabwe’s environmental calendar.

Introduced last year as part of intensifying measures to curb climate change, the 2023 National Fire week launch will be held at Compton Farm in Ward 17, Makoni District, Manicaland Province under the theme: “Prevent veld fires to protect the environment! Our national heritage”.

If veld fires are not contained, Minister Ndlovu said the trend may reverse the gains made in the fight against climate change so far.

“As a nation, we are on a positive trajectory towards climate change mitigation through activities such as tree planting and wetland restoration programs as a means towards increasing carbon sinks and carbon sequestration,” he said.

“To that end, there is therefore need to prevent veld fires and protect our forests as a climate change mitigation strategy, lest all our other efforts go up in smoke.”

Prevention of veld fires remains a game changer in the thrust towards creating a clean, safe and healthy environment that is able to propel the country into a middle-income economy by 2030, he added.

In 2022, a total of 7 511 fire incidences were recorded during the dry season, which destroyed 1 753 055,9 hectares of forest and grassland, compared to 3 948 fire incidences recorded in 2021, subsequently destroying 1 033 722,86ha.

The total area burnt increased by 60,92 percent compared to 2021.

Cumulatively, 18 fire-related deaths were recorded in 2022 compared to 8 in 2021. Last year 10 lives were lost to a single veld fire incident in Umzingwane District.

Minister Ndlovu said the country cannot continue to suffer such losses whilst ‘we stand and watch’.

“It’s sad to note that during the past two decades, more than 150 people have succumbed to veld fires, hence the need to put extra effort in fighting this scourge so that no further lives are lost,” he said.

“Veld fires in Zimbabwe are nothing but a human cause meaning me and you are the solution to the veld fire problem. Let’s work together therefore to weed out this human-induced enemy.

“Fire has surely become more of an enemy than a friend hence it is also a priority area in the National Development Strategy (NDS1),” he said.

Through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, traditional leaders are expected to play a key role in veld fire management, said Minister Ndlovu.

“This institution remains pivotal in playing the gate-keeping role in natural resources management thus the obligatory role to also roll out various home-grown strategies in veld fire prevention,” he said.

“Veld fire prevention starts with the owners of the natural capital thus clarion call for us all to stand up and be counted in the protection of our natural heritage.”

Minister Ndlovu said prevention of veld fires needs collective stakeholder involvement.