Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
LOCAL authorities are expected to have formulated veld fire management plans by end of today or risk hefty penalties.

This is part of efforts by Government to reduce occurrence of veld fires. In May, Cabinet approved the 2021 Fire Season Veld Fire Management Strategy to reduce veld fires.

In an interview, Environmental Management Agency (Ema) manager for environment and education Ms Amkela Sidange said a multi sectoral monitoring exercise will be conducted from July 1 to July 30 ahead of the start of the fire season to ensure compliance.

The veld fire season officially starts on July 31 and ends around October.

“We expect local authorities to formulate veld fire management plans starting from village level as pronounced in 2021 Fire Season Veld Fire Management Strategy which was approved by Cabinet. We have noticed that veld fire management has been taken as a sector issue but the all sectors have a role to pay. Local authorities are mandated under the Urban Councils Act to be gate keepers of natural resources through formulation and enforcement of by laws.

“This multi sectoral monitoring exercise which will be conducted incorporates various stakeholders who comprise fire committees at various structures, Government departments, civic society among others. The monitoring won’t only be focusing on local authorities only but various stakeholders to ensure that they have put in place various measures to guard against veld fires,” she said.

Ms Sidange added: “Those who will fail to comply will be penalised according to Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 and the Forestry Act as well as other relevant legislation. This year’s approach is enhanced because we want to achieve a minimum target of 25 percent reduction in losses to veld fires in 2021.”

Ms Sidange said there was also need for controlled early block burning in State protected areas and private estates, as well as road servitude grass cutting and maintenance by all road authorities

She said initiatives they had rolled out under the 2021 strategy included conducting a farm level fire awareness blitz to raise awareness and sensitise farmers and communities on the environmental provisions on veld fire management, carrying out farm level inspections to monitor compliance to fire preparedness protocols, intensifying fireguard construction, hay bailing, thatch grass cutting and combing for sale for the provisioning of feed and biomass reduction.

The agency this year adopted innovative ways among them the extensive use of digital platforms to achieve its minimum target reduction of 25 percent of land lost to veld fires this year.

Some of the strategies include the use of digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram; including use of the website to disseminate information on veld fire prevention. The agency is also conducting talk shows and roadshows, among many others. Ms Sidange said the agency had done mass production and distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Material ranging from posters, brochures, flyers, stickers and fire assessment reports.

“As we approach the veld fire season, we are calling on farmers, landowners, and tenants and farming communities to urgently put in place relevant and adequate measures to prevent veld fires. These efforts are in line with the 2021 veld fires season theme ‘Veld fires and food security-Protect the harvest.

“Veld fire prevention also remains key in the achievement of the National Development Strategy 1 targets and overall protection of the environment, which is also pivotal in the achievement of Vision 2030,” said Ms Sidange.

Ema has warned that 89 percent of the country is at high to extreme risk of veld fires, compared to 34 percent last year.

The agency says that areas that are traditionally not prone to veld fires are at risk this year due to increased biomass as a result of the good rains received this season. — @DubeMatutu