30 Aug 2021

Kgosi Omphile Bogoma of Komana village in the Ngamiland region has underscored the need to capacitate communities on bushfire management, to save the environment. 

He was speaking in an interview following recent bushfires that lasted a week having started in Kgantshang settlement, crossed Nxaraga gravel road to Komana and raged some ploughing fields and a chunk of grazing land. 

Kgosi Bogoma said residents responded positively to his plea, to put out the fire but lacked knowledge on how to manage it thus putting their lives in danger.

He said most people fighting bush fires were volunteers who did not have the right skills and equipment to put out the fire that was burning out of control as some unwittingly diverted it to other directions. 

“Although we managed to quickly downgrade it before it could cause more damage to the environment, I appeal to the relevant authorities to drill communities on fire management,” he said and noted that fires could cause serious property and infrastructural damage and lead to loss of life. Kgosi Bogoma thanked those who donated food to the volunteers. 

Although he acknowledged that bush fire could be a result of natural causes, he could not rule out arson. Asked if Komana village was prone to bushfire, Kgosi Bogoma was pointed out that they had in the past experienced relatively small bushfires, especially around summer and autumn but those were manageable. He appealed to residents to report suspected arsonists because they posed a threat to people’ lives, property, environment, livestock and wildlife. Sehithwa station commander, Superintendent Nshaki Mabophiwa shared kgosi’s suspicions that the fires might have been caused deliberately by certain individuals. 

He appealed to the community to protect natural resources. Meanwhile, bushfires were also recently reported around Lake Ngami and surrounding settlements. ends