‘Mantšali Phakoana
Wildfires are a common sight on rangelands and pastures in Lesotho every winter and the usual culprits are livestock herders, uncontrolled burning on neighbouring pieces of land and careless disposal of cigarette butts.
The wildfires, that are usually intentional and sometimes unintentional, are proving to be a serious cause for concern.
The challenge has prompted the ministry of defence, national security and environment to embark on countrywide awareness campaigns to discourage communities from burning rangelands and pastures.
According to the ministry of environment’s range management officer, Retšelisitsoe Stephen, the burning of pastures and rangelands has serious environmental consequences such as eroding soil.
The common practice of range burning, he says, usually starts between April and June, the onset of the dry winter season. But due to changes in weather patterns, more and more intense fires are now being experienced until August in many areas.
Although illegal, it is a normal practice for herders or farmers in Lesotho to burn grass on their farms in preparation for the new planting season.
“They believe burning grass will help it to grow faster for their livestock to graze on, but they are not aware that even if it grows faster, such grass is weak and it can actually take years to recover its worth.
“One of the reasons put forward by most people for burning pastures or rangelands is pest control, but due to climate change, we no longer have such in the country,” Stephen notes.
However, to curb the problem, Stephen says his ministry is working together with communities and their leaders (chiefs and councillors) to enlighten them about the negative impacts of grass burning.
Stephen says some of the means used by his ministry to educate people is fire awareness programmes, trainings with all line ministries, community leaders; both councillors and chiefs, grazing associations and herd boys.
He appreciates that the practice cannot realistically be completely eliminated, hence the importance of creating fire-belts.
A fire-belt is a strip of a width up to about three metres, cleared of combustible material by various means to enable controlled burning, or to arrest very small flames, normally around compartments.
According to SA Forestry Online, grading or sweeping every road in autumn removes leaves and sticks, creating fire-belts within the plantations, as well as improving access.
“We want to ensure that people stop burning grass. We have to make them understand that the practice is not in the interest of anyone; it only causes harm to community, herbs, trees, land and other plants,” Stephen said.
Pela-Tšoeu in the Leribe district is one of the villages where burning rangelands, pastures and fields, during and after winter harvesting is still practised.
The chief of Pela-Tšoeu, Mohale Jonothane, says his area is experiencing severely lean vegetation especially in winter due to poor rains and insufficient plant growth, forcing herders to burn grass in pursuit of green forage for livestock.
He says wildfires in his area are usually started by herd-boys while roasting maize or potatoes, and discarded cigarettes.
Chief Jonothane notes that wildfires have destroyed more rangelands and pastures than forests in his area, adding that the practice impacts negatively on crop and vegetable farming.
However, he acknowledges the department of range management for educating his community who, he says, are gradually stopping the habit of burn grass.
He adds that, thanks to interventions such as public meetings convened in partnership with the council, the department of range management and Tšehlanyane National Park, the community is beginning to understand that frequent burning of grass does more harm than good.
“We hold public gatherings to create awareness among the communities and urge them to stop burning pastures. Most of them seem to understand. I believe that if we intensify this campaign, this challenge will be a thing of the past.”
In an instance where a rangeland or pastoral land is burned, Chief Jonothane says, it needs to be left at least for three years before being burnt again in order to ensure that the grass grows and become fit for livestock consumption.
He recalls that in 2016, they had a case where about five corn fields were burned to ashes due by wildfires.
In this case a farmer had attempted to exterminate the insidious cocklebur weed by burning it.
“Unfortunately, the fire spread to neighbouring fields which had a maize crop ready for harvesting.
“A fire becomes destructive when it is out of control. It is not easy to stop it, especially in windy weather conditions,” Chief Jonothane explains.
He says although the incident was an accident, the farmer had to pay for the loss of the maize. The chief however, cannot remember the exact amount the farmer paid.
Despite the dangers and challenge of wildfires, Tšehlanyane National Park manager, Teboho Selikane says fire-belts remain a lesser-known method to combat fires.
The strategy, according to Selikane, is widely utilised in areas like Tšehlanyane where there are wild animals and plants. He warns that the fire belts should not just be created by anyone but fire experts.
“If used correctly, fire-belts can help prevent unexpected fires from spreading. The habit of burning grass threatens the health and well-being of society, nature and cultural environment, wild plants and animals.
“Properly used, fire-belts can actually be a safe and effective way to manage grasslands and reduce the risk of uncontrolled fires. When creating fire-belts, one has to take the weather into consideration, to ensure safely. This will minimise the chances of the fire getting out of control.”
Selikane further warns that, if treated recklessly, fire-belts could potentially cause havoc.
He indicated that heavy winds that constantly change direction could also contribute to a fire spreading to unintended areas.
“Fires, whether made intentionally or unintentionally, destroy biodiversity and affect the habits of wild animals and birds whose habitats are damaged by running fires.
“Because of the dry conditions during the winter months, it is advisable for farmers and landowners to prepare fire belts and be geared to prevent and fight wildfires.
“If we sit back and do nothing to prevent wildfires, we would be putting our wild animals and birds here at risk,” Selikane noted.
He says with the skills provided by the park, communities living around Tšehlanyane are able to prepare fire belts.
Wildfires have legal ramifications. The newly introduced Rangeland Resources Management Bill of 2021 introduces penalties for the ‘un-prescribed’ burning of rangelands.
Section 25 of the bill reads: “A person who carries out un-prescribed burning of rangelands and wetland area is liable to fine not less than M3000 or imprisonment for a period not less than three years.”
The bill, among others, addresses issues surrounding protection and rehabilitation of rangelands and wetlands.
It also augments available efforts by the government and development partners to rehabilitate the country’s land that has depleted due to climate change and land mismanagement. The bill further aims to promote integrated use of rangeland resources for the benefit of the present and future generations in a manner that would optimise sustainable catchment management principles, as well as protect, conserve and rehabilitate rangelands, catchments and wetlands.
