Mkhululi Ncube [email protected]
BULAWAYO firefighters on Monday battled a fast-moving veld fire that destroyed vast stretches of vegetation and spread to nearby farms, but managed to protect all structures in its path.
Bulawayo City Council Chief Fire Officer Mr Nhlangano Moyo said the blaze, which was visible from suburbs such as Entumbane, Richmond and Emakhandeni late into the night, was one of the most difficult operations the department had faced in recent times.
The fire reportedly started when an elderly man tried to light a cigarette, putting about 400 cattle and 200 goats at risk at the council-owned Aisleby Farm. It also spread to nearby Heads and Wolves Farm.
Mr Moyo said strong winds pushed the fire across the landscape at alarming speed, making it difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze.
“We had a torrid time and were forced to get more manpower, and we ended up having three vehicles on the ground. It was so windy that we could not utilise some of our equipment because the fire was spreading very fast because of the wind.” he said
With conventional firefighting methods hampered by the conditions, the department resorted to a counter-fire attack — fighting fire with fire.
“We did what we call a firebreak, and then we used what we call a counter-fire attack method — fighting fire with fire. We identified a spot where there was no fire, with a small fire guard which bent towards the fire. That’s how we managed to deal with that fire,” he explained.
Mr Moyo said the damage to vegetation was extensive. He said firefighters managed to protect structures, and no lives were lost.
Driven by strong winds, the fire spread close to 1.5 kilometres and reached nearby farms, destroying part of the land before firefighters eventually contained it.
“The old man said he had two match sticks and the first one failed to light the cigarette. He then got some small grass to light the cigarette, and in the process, that fire just went out of control,” Mr Moyo said.
Despite the challenges, Mr Moyo expressed gratitude that the firefighters had managed to contain the blaze before it caused further damage.
“I’m so grateful we managed to contain the fire, but the wind situation gave us a lot of challenges. It was spreading very fast. It spread to the nearby farms and part of Heads and Hooves farm was destroyed .But we managed to contain it before more damage was inflicted,” he said.
The incident comes as fire authorities renew calls for caution during the dry season, warning that a single careless act, including improperly disposing of cigarette ash or lighting fires near dry vegetation, can quickly trigger a disaster.
