Six hundred and one (601) fire outbreaks were recorded in Brong-Ahafo Region from January to October 2013, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Kwame Larbi Apraku, Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service disclosed on Friday.

He said out of the figure, 159 were bushfire recorded in the first three months of the year, an increase of 21 over that of 2012.

ACFO Apraku made this known when he inaugurated an anti-bushfire volunteer group at the Brong-Ahafo Regional celebration of the 29th Farmers Day at Abesim, near Sunyani.

Twenty-eight deserving farmers were honoured. They received items ranging from television sets, spraying machines, Wellington boots, radio cassette player, fertilizers, pieces of cloth and key bar soaps.

ACFO Apraku said districts such as Kintampo, Atebubu, Pru and Tain recorded most fires and had over the years led in the number of bushfire cases recorded, with devastating losses.

He said  the GNFS had trained 20,000 fire volunteers and was about to train additional 2,000 to help tackle the increasing trend of bushfire in the region.

ACFO Apraku observed that lost of cash crops and food stuffs to fire outbreaks had caused many farmers to become poorer.

He pointed out that fire management was not an individual affair but a shared and collective responsibility and advised all stakeholders in fire management to play their roles effectively to control bushfire outbreaks.

The Regional Fire Commander commended the Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council and the Sunyani Municipal Assembly for supporting fire volunteer activities and maintaining a green environment even at the peak of the dry season.