Question

Explain how vield fires effect the environment

Answer 1

Answer:

Veld fires lead to severe environmental degradation. More specifically, veld fires reduce land cover thus exposing the land to agents of accelerated soil erosion, changes in the hydrological cycle, increase in overland flow or surface run off and modifications in various ecological processes.

Answer 2

Answer:

Explanation:

ARE VELD FIRES A THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT

What are veld fires?

These are blazes that get out of control, become wild, and destroy extensive tracts of forests, grasslands,

animals, people and their properties in the process .Fire, as part of natural process has a positive role in the

vegetation structure and composition, and helps recycle nutrients contained in old and dead trees. There is,

however, concern that the frequency, extent and pattern of burning are increasing due to human activities.

It is a fact that the damage from these fires has grown to outweigh the benefits of fire on the ecosystem.

Frequent burning has implication on carbon stocks and emissions, wildlife habitat, human health and life as

well as livelihoods.

S.I. 7 of 2007 Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection)

Regulation) as read with Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27), outlaws the starting of fires

outside residential and commercial premises during the period 31 July to 31 October of each year.

The causes of veld fires

There are several factors that cause veld fires but most are human ignitions resulting from:  Reckless disposal of lit cigarette stubs;  Smoking out of bees for honey harvesting;  Lighting fires at road servitudes whist waiting for early morning buses;  Land clearing;  Hunting;  Deliberate lighting of fires / arson;  Children playing with matches; and

 Improper household ash disposal.

Effects of veld fires

Veld fires lead to severe environmental degradation. More specifically, veld fires reduce land cover thus

exposing the land to agents of accelerated soil erosion, changes in the hydrological cycle, increase in

overland flow or surface run off and modifications in various ecological processes. Soil erosion leads to the

siltation of rivers and dams, thus reducing their water carrying capacity. This is likely to induce floods in

low-lying areas.

Veld fires destroy plantations, crops and pastures. In Zimbabwe, it is now commonly agreed that veld fires

are a single significant threat to national economic recovery plans as they are destroying not only pastures

necessary for the restocking exercise, they are also destroying vast plantations. Food security may be

compromised as the last few years have seen fires burning wheat farms, maize fields among other valuables.

1

How do l know that a fire might occur?

 It is normally your dry season.  You experience very hot conditions.  There is a lot of potential fuel (e.g. dry leaves, wood, dead plants and grass).  You can clearly see long dry grass and plants.  There are moderate to strong winds present.

Veld fire trends