Botswana: No Arrests in Boteti Veld Fires
Botswana: No Arrests in Boteti Veld Fires
20 November 2006
published by allafrica.com
Botswana — Minister of Environment Wildlife and TourismKitso Mokaila told Parliament that they have not identified the culprits in theveld fires that destroyed 523, 300 hectares in Boteti recently. He wasresponding to a question from the MP for Boteti North, Slumber Tsogwane.
Mokaila said that there are firebreaks in the BotetiSub-District which was recently engulfed by veld fires. He said that at the timeof the outbreak, the firebreaks were being maintained. To counter the recurrenceof the fires, the Department of Forestry and Range Resources has developed atimely firebreak maintenance, he said. He added that preparations for fireseason will be done in time. The ministry also receives daily satellite data onfire outbreaks around the country. “This will facilitate early detection offires and mobilisation for their containment,” Mokaila said. He explainedthat other strategies to fight the veld fire that involve communities are inplace. The ministry has plans to use Airborne Fire Fighting system, Mokailaannounced.
