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Sydney Kawadza Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North provinces recorded the worst cases of veld fires last year, which also claimed five lives across Zimbabwe, amid calls by Government for farmers to guard against the scourge this dry season.

According to the Environment Management Agency (EMA), the five lives lost to veld fires were less than the six recorded in 2017.

The veld fires further damaged infrastructure worth more than $358 500, with the majority being strategic agricultural equipment, plantations and household property, which was a 13,98 percent increase compared to 2017 when property worth $314 509 was destroyed.

Speaking in Patchway, Sanyati District in Mashonaland West recently, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira called for joint effort in avoiding unguarded fires.

“Let’s work together with our farmers,” she said. “The issue of veld fires, we are embarrassed, even when we are discussing in Cabinet, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North are the worst on veld fires.

“We need to protect our country. Those on farms and rural areas, lets follow the advice we get from our Government officials and put fire guards on our fields. We should also avoid unguarded fires that are destroying properties while some lives have been lost. So we need to help each other so that we avoid hearing that Mashonaland West is the worst in terms of veld fires.”

In Manicaland, commercial plantations worth $257 500 were destroyed by veld fires, while agricultural equipment worth $59 700 and household property worth $41 300 were also destroyed across Zimbabwe.

EMA noted that the fire season last year recorded a 16,7 percent decrease in fire incidences (1 595) compared with 2 705 in 2017, while a total of 1 190 174,89 hectares of land were burnt by veld fires compared to 1 268 534,31 — a difference of 78 359,42 (6,2 percent).

In an interview yesterday, EMA deputy director Mr Steady Kangata said the veld fire season begins on July 31, ending on October 31, while the National Fire Launch will be held in Hurungwe during the week of July 22 to 27.

In preparation for the 2019 fire season, EMA did a fire risk assessment model meant to identify the fire risk zones in the country, noting that Zimbabwe has been generally affected by a drought in the 2018/2019 fire season.

There were selected districts which received heavy rains induced by Tropical Cyclone Idai. The fire risk model shows that the country is generally in the medium to high fire risk zone.

“These classes have to be carefully and closely monitored as they may heighten to the extreme fire risk zones,” said EMA.

“The prediction calls for fire-tight management plans and strategies in the areas with medium, high and extreme fire risk.

“The failure to manage biomass abundant in these areas creates a dangerous time bomb towards the end of the fire season in October and November.”

Areas that are in high risk zones are districts located in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Manicaland, while other districts located in other provinces equally at high risk include Masvingo, Lupane, Gokwe North, Gokwe South, Gweru Rural and Hwange.