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*One Million Hectares Destroyed By Fire - EMA*

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The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) says more than one million hectares of forests and farmland have been destroyed by veld fires over a three-month period. The fires have killed 16 people during the same period.

EMA environment education and publicity manager Amkela Sidange said that overall, 6 042 incidences of veld fires have so far been recorded, compared to 3 673 in 2021. This represents a 64.5% increase.

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Sidange revealed that the average burnt area per incident has risen to the current 253.5 hectares from 234 hectares in 2021. She was quoted as saying:

> Week-on-week, burnt area trends indicate that the 2022 fire restriction has kept a constant upward trend compared to the 2021 fire season.

> This is attributed to the dry and windy conditions that are prevailing in the country, and this has persisted for longer than usual, a possible indication of shifts in seasons due to climatic change.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa recently told the Senate that the government is considering amending the Environmental Management Act so that people who carelessly start veld fires are punished severely.

This follows the death of ten people on Monday who died while trying to put out a veld fire at Rodrose Farm in Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province.

In August this year, an 80-year-old security guard from Plumstead Farm, Banket, was killed by a runaway veld fire and his corpse charred beyond recognition.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the now-deceased, Sakatiza Mariza, was on his way home from his workplace when he was burnt.

In 2019, a Bindura farmer was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Magistrate Moreblessing Makati for starting a veld fire that burnt another farmer’s inputs and properties worth around ZWL$16 000.

Wicklow Handiroya (67) of Ledbury Farm in Bindura started the fire on his property to clear land for the upcoming summer cropping season.

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