Lungile Tshuma Sunday News Correspondent

HWANGE District in Matabeleland North Province has continued to be the most fire prone district in the province since 2011 with statistics revealing that 144 263 hactures of land were destroyed by veld fires this year up from 83 462 ha last year.The revelations were made by Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Matabeleland North Province environmental education officer, Mrs Mildred Matunga, in Hwange last week on Thursday.

Statistics further show that Hwange District has not been consistent in reducing cases of veld fires. In 2009, 62 508 ha were burnt, with 34 418 being burnt in 2010, 58 923 ha of land were lost to veld fires in 2011, in 2012 155 228 ha were burnt and decreased to 83 463 ha in 2013 before rising to 144 262 ha in 2014.

“Hwange District is still leading in the number of veld fire cases in the province. There are no casualties that were recorded in the province in 2013, however, a life was lost in Bubi District in 2014,” she said.

“The agency (EMA) was instrumental in the initial implementation of the fire management project as it assisted with $1 200 to kick-start the project which has since been replicated in all the farms in Ward One and other wards in the district.

“The fireguard construction project will serve as model for the province at large as it has already started realising benefits associated with sustainable veld fire management.”

EMA has introduced fire management projects which are meant to involve the community in veld fire management in line with the country’s endeavour to reduce veld fire incidences.

Mrs Matunga said the establishment of fireguard construction projects in various districts had been necessitated by the fact that a number of veld fires in the country have been attributed to sheer failure by communities to put in place appropriate fire suppression measures around their properties.

Mrs Matunga encouraged communities to put in place fire fighting teams to spearhead fire awareness meetings at village level and start fireguard construction around farm boundaries.

As part of EMA’s educational programmes, the organisation has conducted fire awareness meetings, fireguard meetings, fireguard construction demonstrations, training of fire fighting teams, training of traditional leaders, councillors and environmental sub-committees on veld fires and provided firefighting  equipment which include three high pressure fire knapsack sprays and rakes.

Mrs Matunga also revealed that despite a decrease in veld fires as a result of educational campaigns, EMA has also witnessed an improvement of fireguard construction and fire fighting skills by the community, replication of the fireguard concept as all the farms in the country and also there is an increased awareness on law enforcement as locals are now able to report offenders to law enforcement agencies.