Fire outbreaks last year have destroyed over 500 000 hectares of land countrywide, of which five 85 000 were in the Otjozondjupa Region. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Environment is equipping farmers on how to tackle and prevent veld fires ahead of the flame season. The meetings were in the Kunene and Otjozondjupa regions in conjunction with the Namibia Charcoal Association.