Police have called upon the general public, especially people residing in the remote parts of the country, to take necessary precaution to prevent bush fires, which are common in this period. In an interview, ACP Jean Baptiste Seminega, the commanding officer of the Police Fire and Rescue Brigade, said cases of wild fires tend to go up in the months of July and August, citing littered lit cigarettes, honey harvesting and burning waste in gardens as major causes. “In July and August, when the country experiences the dry spell, we encounter many cases of bush fires in the countryside, and we call upon Rwandans to beware of activities that involve use of fire like farming, honey harvesting and charcoal burning,” ACP Seminega said. “Out of 84 cases of fire incidents registered in 2013, 22 of them occured in July and August, while 36 of the 121 cases registered last year also came in the same period. Most of these cases are related to bush fires.” He further warned charcoal burners, especially those that encroach gazetted forests. ACP Seminega also sent a warning message to owners of residential and commercial facilities to mind the quality of the electric cables they use. “Investigations have revealed that most fire outbreaks in homes are caused by short circuits due to substandard electric cables, although we have also seen a number of cases where candles left lit in the house cause fires, and, at times, claiming lives,” he warned. “Rwandans should also consider acquiring firefighting gadgets like fire extinguishers to safeguard their homes.”The City of Kigali is the most affected by cases of fire breakouts, according to Police statistics. Of the 84 cases registered in 2013, 79 occurred in Kigali; last year, 110 out of the total 121 cases were also registered in Kigali. Between January and June this year, 49 cases of fire were recorded, 41 of them in Kigali. “Rwanda National Police has acquired hi-tech firefighting engines and a considerable number of skilled personnel to fight and prevent fires. Firefighting trucks have now been stationed at the regional level for quick response and our long-term plan is to acquire and station these engines at the district level in partnership with local governments,” ACP Seminega added. He said the Police is now involved in countrywide awareness campaigns on how to put out a fire using fire extinguishers and local materials like sand. “We are ready to teach everyone how to use these gadgets. Once they acquire them, let them just call us because we believe this is another way of building the capacity and response against fires,” he said. ACP Seminega urged the public to always call the Police in case of fire outbreak on toll free lines; 111 or 0788311120, for timely response. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
