Largest Numbers of Veld Fires in Hwange a Cause for Concern

EMA Matabeleland North provincial manager, Chipo Mpofu-Zuze said that the bulk of veld fires are occurring in gazetted areas like national parks and forests.

Mpofu-Zuze said there were significant fire hazards in these areas because Matabeleland North is home to the largest indigenous forest and national park when she spoke at a Fire Indaba on Friday in Bulawayo.

“We have been number two coming after Mashonaland West for six years now. Despite the high damage we are experiencing it does not mean we have not been doing anything but it means the things we were doing are not sufficient enough to help us curb veld fires,” said Mpofu-Zuze.

The Hwange district is currently seeing the largest number of veld fires in the province of Matabeleland North, according to Zuze. Among the many tourist attractions in Hwange is Hwange National Park, the largest animal refuge in the nation.

Zuze said, “The most affected wards in Hwange were Wards 1, 18, and 19, which consist of parks, forest, and A2 resettlement areas.”

The province lost 399 622,79 hectares in 2022, up from 172 215 in 2021, indicating a 132 percent rise.

The province has ranked second nationally for the previous six years in terms of the amount of hectares lost to veld fires, and in 2017 39,962,279 hectares were burnt, up from 172 215 hectares reported in 2021.

Zuze explained that she hopes these efforts will help reduce fires in the region. She urged people to be vigilant and to report any fires immediately to help prevent any further damage.

Charcoal Making

Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC) environment and natural resources officer, Mr Nxolelani Ncube said key drivers of veld fires in the district were massive coal mining and exploration at the peripheral of protected areas, massive charcoal making, poaching, bee harvesting and negligence in opening of new agricultural farming areas among others.

“The district, which has 20 wards, has been particularly hard hit. In order to combat this, initiatives are being taken to improve coordination and partnerships with stakeholders and funding partners,” said Ncube.

He revealed that Matetsi Ward is one of the areas in Hwange with the highest rates of fire occurrence and prevalence. Annual meetings and awareness campaigns are held there, and fire safety campaigns are widely integrated into training curricula.

Veld Fire Causes

Moreover, Sikabela, which has seen a significant decrease in the number of hectares burned, hosted the district’s fire season launch in 2022.

There are a number of factors that contribute to veld fires in Hwange, including anthropogenic activities like extensive coal mining and exploration in nearby areas, extensive charcoal production, bee harvesting, poaching, negligent opening of new agricultural farming areas, herding in protected areas, and natural causes like coal bed methane that ignites fires and spreads to nearby areas. Another factor that cannot be ignored is climate change.

Pinpointing Problem Areas

In an effort to allay these worries, efforts are being made to pinpoint problem areas, including Matetsi Ward, Kalala, Sikabela, Kasibi, and Railway Farm 56, as well as Silewu, Lupote, Mabale, Makwandara, Sidinda, and Jambezi.

Fire fighting equipment is being purchased and distributed to these hotspot areas after a needs assessment was conducted to determine what is required for fire preparedness.

Awareness Campaigns

In Matetsi, awareness campaigns are being run and fire fighting teams are being organized. A fully equipped and dedicated tractor mounted with a 1000L water tank, four potent fire blowers, six knapsacks, and 30 fire beaters will be established, along with village fire fighting teams made up of ten members of the community.

In addition, there will be accelerated and improved community training, awareness, and engagement initiatives, beginning with traditional leaders like chiefs, headmen, and village heads.

Due to veld fires, which have increased in frequency over the past few years, Hwange has witnessed the devastating destruction of biodiversity and community livelihoods.

Reducing Poaching

During recommendations, CEO for Hwange Rural District Council, Phindile Ncube suggested that the community should benefit from local resources so as to reduce poaching.

Lastly, he said, “Poaching is the main cause of veld fires because local people will be hunting so to avoid this they should be given a share from the local resources like minerals and also animals.”