The Kadjebi District Fire Commander, Mr Martin Kpatsi, has appealed to Ghanaians, especially palm-wine tappers, to stop bushfires to help save lives and property from destruction.

The District Commander explained that bushfires could cause multiple direct impacts on life, property and on the survival of fauna.

He said the phenomenon also impoverishes the soil by destroying organic matter and increasing leaching, as well as wind and water erosion.

Mr Kpatsi, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kadjebi in the Oti Region, in their preparation to combating bushfires and other domestic fires as the harmattan sets in, said they have formed Fire Volunteer Brigade at Poase-Cement, Dzindziso and Dodo-Fie communities to help educate residents on the need to prevent fires.

He said the effects of bushfires are far-reaching, as large areas of land and nature are destroyed, wild animals and people are killed, homes are burnt down, livestock and agricultural lands are threatened or destroyed.

Mr Kpatsi, who is an Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADO) I, said the devastating impacts of bushfires on plants, animals, and ecosystem, cannot be over-emphasised, that is why they planned to form more of such groups in the district, but they are financially constrained.

The ADO I said the amount of smoke that entered the air could also exacerbate or cause respiratory problems.

He, therefore, advised everyone to be cautious in handling fires during the harmattan season as “fire is a good servant, but a bad master.”