MILLICENT HUNGWE
Zimbabwe has been hit by a devastating veld fire, with two lives having been lost since the beginning of the season which stretches from July to September, Environmental Management Agency has confirmed.
An elderly woman from Silverstar village in Mhondoro Ngezi District, Mashonaland West Province, succumbed to her injuries after attempting to extinguish a veld fire on Sunday, July 28.
A staggering 150,538.84 hectares of land has since been affected since July 1.
EMA education and publicity manager Amkela Sidange said, “the incident marks the second veld fire-related fatality in recent weeks, following the loss of a disabled man in Makoni District, Manicaland.”
Since the beginning of the veld fire restriction season, 571 recorded fire incidents have been reported, with an average area burnt per incident of 232.01 hectares in 2024, compared to 58.12 hectares in 2023.
Mashonaland West Province has been the most affected, accounting for 56.21% of the total area burnt, followed by Mashonaland Central Province (9.12%) and Midlands Province (9.04%).
Sidange urged the public to exercise extreme caution when handling fires and to report any veld fires promptly to the relevant authorities.
With the veld fire season expected to continue, the Agency is emphasizing the importance of prevention and responsible behavior, especially in peri-urban areas.
It is a crime not assist to put out a fire.
