VELD fires have become one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time, causing unprecedented damage to Zimbabwe’s natural resources, forests, animal habitat and even leading to the loss of life and valuable property.
Simply defined, veld fires are blazes that get out of control, become wild, and destroy extensive tracts of forests, grasslands, animals, people and their properties in the process.
The dry season, In Zimbabwe is characterised by conducive weather conditions for the spread of fires such; as strong winds, high temperatures and arid conditions.
During this period the fuel load (e.g. dry leaves, wood, dead plants and grass) is high, dry and more susceptible to fires.
As we approach the fire season, it is therefore particularly important for us to take stock of the destruction caused by veld fires in previous years so that we put in place measures that will protect life and property.
Causes of Veld Fires
Research by the Agency over the years revealed that most veld fires are human induced, resulting from activities such as land clearing, hunting, smoking of bees for honey harvesting, arson, illegal mining, poaching, burning of waste and fireguard construction amongst other activities.
Below are some of the documented veld fire causes:
• Reckless disposal of lit cigarette stubs;
• Lighting fires at road servitudes whist waiting for early morning buses;
• Deliberate lighting of fires / arson;
• Children playing with matches; and
• Improper household ash disposal.
What Have Been The Fire Trends?
Veld fire occurrences have been fluctuating over the years leading to the destruction of the environment and loss of life; Table 1 below shows these statistics.
Stakeholder’s Role In Veld Fire Management
1. Farmers/Property Owners
• Construct standard fireguards which are at least 9m wide on boundaries and at least 4.5m wide for internal fire guards on your properties by the month of May every year.
• Ensure that fire fighting equipment is in place at an accessible central point; bowsers or knapsack sprayers filled with water and fire beaters during the fire season.
• Use ox-drawn ploughs, tractors or hoes to construct fireguards.
• Inspect fireguards regularly to make sure that they are free of any combustible material.
• Report all fire incidences to the nearest ZRP or EMA offices within 7 days.
• Ensure no one starts a fire during the fire season.
• Organize and request Forestry Commission and EMA to train fire fighting teams for your farms or community.
• Have fire alert systems such as drums, whistles and bells;
• Listen to weather personnel on the fire danger index so as to improve their state of preparedness.
2. Traditional Leaders
• Establish firefighting teams to put off uncontrolled veldt fires in every village.
• Hold fire awareness campaign meetings with communities throughout the fire season
• Use cultural ways of punishing veldt fire offenders who start fires as a way of upholding norms and values of our heritage.
• Keep a record of all veld fires that occur in your areas.
3. School Children.
• Immediately report fire incidents to adults.
• Do not attempt to cross over fires, “crossing over a veldt fire may result in fatalities”.
• Do not try to extinguish a veldt fire in the absence of adults.
• Never climb trees in the direction of a veldt fire instead run away from the veldt fire.
4. People Waiting For Buses
• Completely extinguish road side fires used to warm whilst waiting for transport.
• Ensure that all the glowing splints and burning charcoal are completely extinguished using water or burying with moist soil.
5. Motorists
• Do not throw cigarette stubs on the road side.
• Put off your cigarette stubs and use ashtrays in your vehicle if you smoke to avoid veld fires.
• Stop and assist in putting out fire and always travel with a fire extinguisher or fire beater in your cars.
• Service your car’s electrical system and tighten any loose mechanical parts such as the exhaust to avoid veldt fires emanating from sparks so created after getting in contact with the grass on the road servitude as you drive.
• Report veldt fires to the nearest police station or road block or EMA offices.
• Do not drive through fire flames.
6. Bee Smokers
• Seek advice from Forestry Commission and EMA on better methods of honey extraction instead of using open fires.
7. Smokers
• Use ash trays to place cigarette stubs.
What Does The Law Say?
Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection)
Regulations states that:
• It is the duty of the land user, owner, or designated authority to put in place fire prevention measures in the form of standard fireguards
• No person shall deliberately cause a fire outside residential or commercial premises during the period between 31 July to 31 October each year;
• The land user, owner, farmer, lessee or designated authority is responsible for extinguishing all fires on their property regardless of the origin of the fire; and
• In the case of a fire outbreak any person within the vicinity of the fire other than the user or the owner of that land must extinguish the fire.
The Agency encourages everyone to take heed of the above advice so that we reduce the occurrences of veld fires in the country.
Reduction of veld fires is everyone’s responsibility, please play your part.
Please report all sewer bursts and illegal solid waste dumps to EMA and your Local Authority.
ECO-QUIZ
What are the common causes of veld fires in Zimbabwe?
Send all answers to [email protected] by the 5th of April 2016. Clearly indicate your name, contact numbers, address, gender and nearest EMA office.