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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has embarked on a massive awareness programme to reduce the effects of veld fires that destroyed over 7 000 hectares of grazing land in Matabeleland South last year.

Between October 2015 and January 2016, about 500 herd of the cattle died due to drought while 588 240 were at risk of dying in the province.

EMA spokesperson for Matabeleland South Mrs Sithembokuhle Moyo said 7 025.65ha (grazing land) was last year lost due veld fires recorded from 22 fire incidents.

“Most of the fires emanated from various causes, but mainly as a result of human activities.  Veld fires are experienced between July 31 and September 31 annually.

“These include clearing farming land especially towards the cultivating season and the burning of bushes by illegal miners to use their detectors.

“Besides the land and biodiversity being affected, cattle and infrastructure were also lost in the infernos,” she said.

Mrs Moyo said the veld fire awareness programme was being rolled out in fire risk districts that include Insiza, Matobo, Umzingwane, Mangwe and Bulilima.

Due to the high fuel load this year, she said, all the province’s seven districts were high risk areas.

Mrs Moyo said other causes of veld fires in Matabeleland South were careless throwing away of lit cigarette stubs, improper ash disposal and clearing of vegetation using fire to easily hunt exposed game.

“The agency is warning all citizens to be cautious this season and to avoid starting any fires outside their homes as the fuel load is too high.

“Let us all be cautious and guard against starting fires that might get out of hand as this might lead to uncontrollable fires.

“To those who smoke, be reminded not to throw away any lit stubs as they might start fires,” she said.

Mrs Moyo said their veld fire awareness campaign programme involved educating communities on modern and traditional methods of preventing veld fires.

Some of the methods include construction of fire guards around paddocks, woodlots, homesteads, croplands and boundary fences that are at least nine metres in width on either side of a boundary and at least 4.5 metres for internal ones.

“We are encouraging members of the community to have fire guards in place before the fire season.

“They may also reduce the fuel load through hay bailing for commercial purposes like stock feeds or thatch grass.

“In addition they must ensure that knapsack sprayers/bowsers are in good working condition and are filled with water at all times” she said.

Media reports also say besides veld fires, alien invader species such as lantana camara and opuntia fulgida (jumping cholla) were also threatening the existence of grazing land in Matabeleland South.

Lantana camara has spread over 767 hectares while EMA has so far managed to clear 1 500ha jumping cholla against a target of 3 000ha.

@okazunga