Veld fires more prevalent in Kavango East than West
Phillipus JosefRundu
The Kavango East region continues to record more veld fires compared to its western neighbour, the environment and forestry ministry confirmed this week.
In a telephone interview with Namibian Sun this week, chief forester Jonas Mwikinghi warned that uncontrolled blazes were putting grazing land and communities at risk.
“We are compromising a lot of areas to be burnt because there are no tracks, there are no access roads. At the end of the day, the communities are losing a lot of land for grazing,” he said.
According to Mwikinghi, reports from last week up to Sunday night indicate that fires are more prevalent in Kavango East.
He explained that this is partly linked to higher livestock numbers and a denser population compared to Kavango West. “In grazed areas, fire struggles to spread, but in Kavango East the fuel load is higher,” he noted.Mwikinghi stressed that some farmers are already raising awareness to curb the problem, while others still engage in reckless practices such as deliberately starting fires. He cautioned that both regions carry high grass loads, which increase the risk of fast-spreading fires.
He urged farmers, travellers and communities to remain vigilant and guard against any actions that could spark a fire.
He urged smokers to refrain from flicking their cigarette buds in the open and warned: “Vehicles should not be parked on dry grass. Fire can even start from a heated car.”
The forestry official appealed for collective responsibility, saying awareness and caution are critical to protect grazing land and livelihoods.
The Kavango East region continues to record more veld fires compared to its western neighbour, the environment and forestry ministry confirmed this week.
In a telephone interview with Namibian Sun this week, chief forester Jonas Mwikinghi warned that uncontrolled blazes were putting grazing land and communities at risk.
“We are compromising a lot of areas to be burnt because there are no tracks, there are no access roads. At the end of the day, the communities are losing a lot of land for grazing,” he said.
According to Mwikinghi, reports from last week up to Sunday night indicate that fires are more prevalent in Kavango East.
He explained that this is partly linked to higher livestock numbers and a denser population compared to Kavango West. “In grazed areas, fire struggles to spread, but in Kavango East the fuel load is higher,” he noted.Mwikinghi stressed that some farmers are already raising awareness to curb the problem, while others still engage in reckless practices such as deliberately starting fires. He cautioned that both regions carry high grass loads, which increase the risk of fast-spreading fires.
He urged farmers, travellers and communities to remain vigilant and guard against any actions that could spark a fire.
He urged smokers to refrain from flicking their cigarette buds in the open and warned: “Vehicles should not be parked on dry grass. Fire can even start from a heated car.”
The forestry official appealed for collective responsibility, saying awareness and caution are critical to protect grazing land and livelihoods.
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