Osun Fire Service warns against indiscriminate bush burning

The Osun Fire Service on Wednesday warned against indiscriminate setting of bushes on fire during the harmattan season to minimise risks of increased fire outbreaks.

Mr Adekunle Ibrahim, the Staff Officer of the Service, gave this warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo.

According to Ibrahim; “If we have 20 fire cases before, we may have 40 cases now because of bush burning by hunters or farmers burning bushes on their farmlands.’’

“Predominantly, the fire outbreaks we will have during the dry season will be from bush burning and it spreads fast because of the dry weather,’’ he said.

Ibrahim said that uncontrolled and indiscriminate bush burning has led to loss of property and lives in many instances.

He said that as a preventative measure, people should clear bushes around their houses so that when they are not around and someone sets the nearby bush on fire, the area would not be affected by the fire.

The official said that clearing bushes around houses would go a long way in helping to reduce fire outbreaks during the dry season.

He said that the state fire service had been sensitising the public on fire prevention and control measures, adding that the service was doing its best to curtail fire outbreaks in the state.

“We have been carrying out sensitisation programmes across the state in communities, institutions and establishments.

“We teach the people what can be done to prevent fire outbreaks and we also advise residents to keep fire extinguishers in their homes in case of any fire,’’ Ibrahim said.