MILLICENT HUNGWE
A 55 year old disabled Mutare man has become the first veld fire fatality as 105 760.12 hectares of land have been destroyed marking the beginning of the fire season.
The country recorded 378 fire incidents so far, the Environmental Management Agency has said.
The fire season began on July 1 and is expected to end towards the rainy season.
EMA spokesperson, Amkela Sidange said a 55-year-old disabled man from St Faith in Makoni, Manicaland province succumbed to severe burns while confined to his wheelchair when the area was ravaged by a veld fire.
“The devastating accident occurred in the first week of the fire season, he was rushed to Victoria Chitepo Hospital in Mutare where he sadly passed away.” She said
While the average area burnt per incident has decreased from 166.22 hectares in 2023 to 124.4 hectares in 2024, thanks to awareness programs and collaborative efforts by EMA and other stakeholders.
However, the agency warns that the situation remains dire as the country approaches the peak of the fire season.
Mashonaland West Province has been the hardest hit, accounting for 57.04% of the total area destroyed, followed by Mashonaland Central Province (11.17%) and Manicaland Province (8.04%).
Urban provinces like Bulawayo and Harare are not immune to veld fires, particularly due to waste burning and increased biomass cover.
Resettlement areas, safari areas, and small-scale farms are among the most affected, with 51.24% of fires occurring in A1 and A2 resettlement areas.
To combat the issue, EMA has opened three dockets for veld fire-related crimes in Manicaland, Mashonaland East, and Midlands provinces.
Sidange urged the public to exercise extreme caution when handling fire and advised farmers to implement robust fire suppression measures.
“As Zimbabwe grapples with the El Niño-induced drought, EMA stresses the need for collective action to reduce the burden on the nation and by working together, we can mitigate the devastating impact of veld fires and protect our precious land and resources,” she said.
