By A Correspondent – The Climate Action Coalition of Zimbabwe, together with its member organisations Rural Empowerment and Development (READ) and Youth Empowerment and Development Association (YESDA), has pledged strong support for the Environmental Management Authority’s (EMA) call to build fire guards early.

Masvingo Province has repeatedly suffered devastating veld fires, destroying tens of thousands of hectares of land and threatening crops, livestock, and rural livelihoods. By acting proactively, the Coalition aims to reduce future destruction and foster a culture of preparedness.

EMA has urged villagers to construct fire guards at least nine metres wide on either side of boundary fences, cleared of all flammable material. This directive forms part of the 2026 fire season campaign under the theme “Prevent, Protect, and Preserve: Combating Veld Fires Together.” Running from July 1 to October 31 each year, the fire season poses a recurring threat to food security, biodiversity, and infrastructure across the province.

In response, the Climate Action Coalition and its partners have committed to amplifying this message during their outreach programmes and across their online platforms. By mainstreaming fire guard awareness into their environmental campaigns, the organisations aim to ensure compliance with environmental management practices and strengthen grassroots resilience against veld fires.

YESDA emphasized that young people must take ownership of the campaign, leading efforts to build fire guards, join firefighting teams, and spread awareness both offline and online, because early action by youth protects communities, crops, and the future. At the same time, READ stressed that for rural communities, veld fires are a direct threat to survival, and highlighted the importance of building fire guards and reducing fuel loads during outreach programmes as critical steps to safeguard grazing land, crops, and rural livelihoods.

By mainstreaming EMA’s campaign across community engagements and digital platforms, the Climate Action Coalition, READ, and YESDA are ensuring that the message resonates widely, build fire guards early, comply with environmental management practices, and protect the land for generations to come.