Last year, a total of 22 bush fires that resulted in destruction of properties were recorded between January to November, however 11 bush fires have so far been recorded within the same period this year.In an interview with Citi News on the sidelines of a float in the Eastern Regional capital, Koforidua as part of activities to sensitize the general public on the prevention of bush fires in this dry season, the Eastern Regional Fire Service Commander, ACFO Jennifer Naa Quaye called on farmers and hunters in the region to engage trained fire volunteers whenever they want to clear their fields for the upcoming farming season.

“This exercise is to sensitize the people and the farmers that we are around that time of the year where everything is dry and with any little introduction of fire, there could be an outbreak. We are sensitizing them on the need to be careful about their activities around this time. We’ve had a drastic reduction in cases. Last year we were around 22 and this year we’ve come down to 11. This is due to our education and the public and farmers adherence to the safety rules and advice we give to them,” she said.

She added that some fire volunteers have been trained to assist the farmers and hunters to prevent fire outbreaks, stressing that farmers must learn to create a buffer whenever they intend to set fire on their farms.

“We have told them that if they go hunting or decide to clear their lands for next year’s farming, they should create fire belts so that incase it gets out of hand, there will not be the destruction of other farms,” ACFO Jennifer Naa Quaye said.