Talent Gore
OVER 85 000 hectares of land has been ravaged by veld fires since July this year compared to 700 000 hectares during the same period last year.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) revealed that they recorded more than 4 000 fire incidents since the beginning of July.
With such devastating effects on the country’s biodiversity, EMA and traditional leaders have adopted an inclusive approach to address the situation.
EMA’s Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, Amkela Sidange, said:
“They can prevent veld fires and this goes hand in hand with the law enforcement that is done across the law enforcement divide, traditionally, at local levels, they can enforce the law,” she said.
“To date, we have opened 21 dockets for those that violated the environmental laws as far as weld fire prevention is concerned.”
Sidange said figures on the area burnt in Seke, Goromonzi and Marondera were worrisome and so far these three districts have been the worst affected.
“The current dry and windy conditions give room for wildfires, it is not very easy to contain the fires where there is a lot of dry grass hence we are encouraging members of the public to never start any fires outside residential and commercial areas this time of the year,” she said.
Government has since announced fire restrictions to prevent uncontrolled infernos and mitigate the risk of devastating blazes.