NELSPRUIT – Working on Fire (WoF) has warned the communities in the province to stop causing unwanted veld and forest fires that could destroy crops and increase poverty.

WoF General Manager in Mpumalanga, Martin Bolton said that the 2013 World Food Day theme “Sustainable food system for security and nutrition” that is celebrated on Wednesday is a call for communities to fight unwanted veld fires that could jeopardise food security. Bolton said communities must make sure that they remove fuels (dry grass, leaves, woods and dead plants) and make fire breaks around their farms.

“By limiting unwanted veld fires, there will be no shortage of food in the markets and the economy of the country will boom”, he said.

He added that unwanted veld fires are caused by littering objects in the veld that could cause run away fires, reckless disposal of cigarettes, improper house hold ash disposal.

“Fighting unwanted veld fires could improve people’s nutrition so they could lead a healthy lifestyle,“ said Bolton.

Working on Fire is working together with communities to alleviate poverty by controlling veld fires.