Veld fires devastate Kamanjab farms

VELD fires continue to destroy grazing and kill livestock and wildlife in various parts of Namibia.

In the latest development, five farms in the Kamanjab area lost about 25 000 hectares of grazing to veld fires that broke out last week and on Tuesday this week. Abed Tuaundu, the owner of farm Bosveld, told The Namibian yesterday that this week’s fire is believed to have started on the farm Cauas Okavas of Japie Burger and spread to the farm Mazuren of Steyn Labuschagne.”From there it went through to Vaalberg of Mr Albert Weitz until it reached the main road to Opuwo,” said Tuaundu, whose farm did not fall victim to the blaze.Tuaundu said veld fires had also been reported on the farms Sendeling and Harabis, also in the Kamanjab area, last week.An estimated 25 000 hectares of grazing was destroyed by the two veld fires, Tuaundu said.Labuschagne of the farm Mazuren said he had not lost any livestock but between 10 000 and 15 000 hectares of grazing had been destroyed.He told The Namibian that the fire spread rapidly because of a strong wind, and it took 220 people to bring it under control.Several large veld fires have been reported around the country since last month.A week ago, a veld fire killed about 600 sheep and goats at the farm Springboklaagte of Kobus Visagie in the Dordabis area.Two weeks earlier, about 5 500 hectares of grazing was destroyed in a massive fire on the game farm Kowas, also in the Dordabis area.Abed Tuaundu, the owner of farm Bosveld, told The Namibian yesterday that this week’s fire is believed to have started on the farm Cauas Okavas of Japie Burger and spread to the farm Mazuren of Steyn Labuschagne.”From there it went through to Vaalberg of Mr Albert Weitz until it reached the main road to Opuwo,” said Tuaundu, whose farm did not fall victim to the blaze.Tuaundu said veld fires had also been reported on the farms Sendeling and Harabis, also in the Kamanjab area, last week.An estimated 25 000 hectares of grazing was destroyed by the two veld fires, Tuaundu said.Labuschagne of the farm Mazuren said he had not lost any livestock but between 10 000 and 15 000 hectares of grazing had been destroyed.He told The Namibian that the fire spread rapidly because of a strong wind, and it took 220 people to bring it under control.Several large veld fires have been reported around the country since last month.A week ago, a veld fire killed about 600 sheep and goats at the farm Springboklaagte of Kobus Visagie in the Dordabis area.Two weeks earlier, about 5 500 hectares of grazing was destroyed in a massive fire on the game farm Kowas, also in the Dordabis area.