By Foibe N Paavo
SWAKOPMUND, May 7 – Residents in the Karibib area have been urged to handle fires very carefully in the approaching dry season and a campaign to help them do so starts in June.
‘Fire as a good servant but a bad master’ is the name of the campaign to be conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, on behalf of the Erongo Regional Council, to train community members of the Karibib constituency in areas with a high fire hazard.
Farmers and farm owners are urged to inform livestock herders that go into the field to ensure cigarette butts are extinguished. Those debarking droppers and poles should ensure sufficient space has been cleared to avoid fire spreading to other areas, and to never leave the fire unattended.
Advice to homeowners is to clear a space of at least 15m to 20m surrounding their homes, kraals and properties, to protect them in case of fire outbreaks.
The guidelines on the production of charcoal have already been distributed to the charcoal-producing farmers to follow during the fire season.
Fire beaters are being placed at the Otjimbingwe Settlement Office along with a firefighting machine that can be used in cases of fire breakouts in the district. The equipment and machinery can be used to extinguish fires and is to be returned when one is done using them.
Fire outbreaks should be reported to the following Forestry staff:
Fennie Endjala – 081 245 7794, Karibib Forestry Office
Likius Iiyambo – 081 204 0531, Omaruru Forestry Office
Ottilie Joseph – 081 378 9494, Omaruru Forestry Office
Lukas Hinyangelwa – 081 693 6585, Omaruru Forestry Office. – Namibia Daily News
