By Wezi Tjaronda
WINDHOEK
Namibia has drafted regulations that will assist in the management of forest and veldt fires that are destroying millions of hectares of biomass every year.
The guidelines are contained in the draft forests and veldt fire policy, whose process started in 2003.
Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Joseph Hailwa, told New Era yesterday that the draft policy has been circulated to stakeholders for comment.
He said the policy makes forest fires the responsibility of all stakeholders in the country.
He said it offers guidelines on how and where and with whom forest fires can be applied. It also gives the people the right to do prescript burning – fire that is applied to material when it still has moisture to minimise burnable material.
The policy will strengthen the Forest Act of 2001, which makes it an offence to burn forests.
According to the Act, a person found guilty of causing forest fires is liable to a fine of an amount not exceeding N$4???_?_’???_?’???_???