ZIMBABWE enters into the fire season this year, having recording significant reduction in the hectarage lost to veld fires.
The fire season runs from July 31 to October 31 and is usually characterised by dry vegetation, hot and windy conditions which are conducive to fire outbreaks.
The reduction recorded in the past two seasons was due to an array of protective measures adopted by responsible authorities.
Despite efforts to protect lives and property and stop the menace to the bio-physical and socio-economic environment, a significant number of deaths continue to be recorded.
According to the Overview of the 2015 Fire Season Report released by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) recently, there was a nine percent reduction in the hectarage destroyed in the 2014 fire season.
The report also shows that 16 lives were lost in 2015 while in 2014, 12 lives were lost due to veld fires.
It also states that a total of 2 464 incidences resulted in 1 510 342, 77 ha of land being destroyed by fire in 2015 while 2 510 incidences destroyed 1 661 754 ha in 2014.
The report says 48 fire cases dockets were brought before the courts, but out of these, only 10 were finalised.
On the other hand, the report states that 29 fire cases were handled by traditional leaders and finalised, adding that 1 229 orders, 307 tickets and 127 dockets were opened.
Significantly, the report highlights that extensive education awareness and capacity building of various communities contributed to this decline in areas destroyed by veld fires.
There were 14 National Fire Week launches and 1 079 meetings reaching out to 66 739 people countrywide.
Workshops or 42 Indabas and trainings were held, while capacity 201 fire fighting teams, 557 police officers and 1 381 traditional leaders were trained.
However, despite all this training, Hurungwe East constituency suffered immensely from veld fires.
Mashonaland West recorded an estimated area of burnt land of 40 950, 09 hectares contributing 13, 88 percentage of all the country’s burnt area.
In the report, most of the areas affected are resettled areas which include A1 and A2 farms followed by communal lands.
Safari areas and national parks are third and fourth respectively.
The report, however, notes that trivialisation of environmental crimes is one of the major drawbacks in efforts to bring the hectarage lost to fires down and recommends the need for custodial sentences.
It also states there is need to empower community-based fire fighting teams with fire-fighting equipment and promote the use of satellite phones in districts where poor connectivity is experienced.
Veld fires are caused by opening up of arable land using fire, deliberate lighting of fires, gold panning, improper disposal of cigarettes and clearing of vegetation for easy hunting, among other things.
Putting fireguards of at least nine metres without inflammable material around paddocks, woodlots, homesteads, croplands and boundary fences helps protect property and reduces veld fires.
The construction of fireguards must be done between April and June before the fire season begins.
Acquiring knapsack sprayers or water bowsers, using counter burning methods, reducing fuel load by hay bailing and beaters also helps in the process.
Statutory Instrument (SI) 7 of 2007 of the Environment Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection Regulations states that it is an offence to deliberately start open fires during the fire season.
The SI also states that failing to put fireguards, passing or driving past a fire without stopping to assist in putting it out and failing to report a fire within seven working days is also an offence.
The Forest Act Chapter 19:05 is another legal instrument regulating fire management.
In 2014 the Ministry of Environment set up a National Fire Committee comprising various ministries and non-governmental organisations.
EMA deposited US$200 000 to the fund to help tackle the problem of veld fires.
When the fire season approaches, there is need to exercise extreme caution and put measures to ensure property and life are safeguarded.