Elenga-Enene of the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, Herman Iipumbu, has called for stronger community involvement and swift action to combat veld fires in the region.

Oshana Governor Hofni Iipinge has expressed concern over the continued outbreak of veld fires in the region, warning that poor coordination and delayed responses are allowing them to destroy thousands of hectares of grazing land.

The Otjiwarongo Municipality Fire and Emergency Services Division has demonstrated new firefighting technology known as the "grass blower" aimed at improving response to bush and grass fires.

The demonstration took place during the Standard Bank Biomass Fair and Industry Conference in Otjiwarongo.

The Mariental Municipality has launched its first Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan for 2026 to 2030, aimed at strengthening resilience against floods, droughts, veld fires and other climate-related hazards. The strategy was officially launched by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on Friday.

Since the start of the fire season in April, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has recorded a total of 499,344 hectares destroyed by uncontrolled fires.

The public is called upon to take precautions when handling fires.

Namibia's fire season starts in April and ends in September.

Recent veld fires in the ||Kharas Mountain areas have destroyed an estimated 160 thousand hectares of grazing land, spread over 19 farms.

This was revealed in an assessment of damages report compiled by the ||Kharas Regional Council.