By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – A million hectares of land were destroyed by veld fires last year, 2019 across the country and at least two people were killed.
This was revealed by Environmental Management Agency (EMA) communications officer, Joyce Chapungu during a media tour at the Driefontien Wetlands in Gutu last week.
World Wetlands Day Commemorations were held at Njovo Primary School in Masvingo District last Friday under the theme, ‘Wetlands and Biodiversity’.
“A lot of land was burnt by veld fires last season.
There was a decrease in the number of deaths from three deaths recorded in 2018 to two in 2019.
These statistics were seen at the end of the fire season in October last year,” she said.
According to Chapungu most of the veld fires were in the Mashonaland provinces.
“I do not have the statistics for each province with me, but I can tell you that Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central had the highest hectares destroyed.”