September 3, 2025 | Heraldonline
BULAWAYO Mayor David Coltart has blown his top after yet another reckless fire almost torched Hillside Dams and nearby thatched homes, warning that the city is on the brink of a fire disaster.
Coltart revealed that while out cycling early on Tuesday, he caught two men illegally burning brush on a vacant plot in high winds, sending black smoke and flying sparks toward the conservancy and surrounding homes.
“I immediately told them that they were acting unlawfully and ordered them to stop and do whatever they could to put out the flames,” Coltart said. “At the same time I called the City of Bulawayo fire department which responded swiftly and put out the fire. The owner of the plot will be charged.”
The mayor’s fury comes as Bulawayo and the country reel from a wave of recent infernos. Last month, a Burnside blaze gutted a home and property worth US$500 000. On the same day, the iconic Elephant Lodge, formerly Jamaica Inn, was razed by a veldfire. In Gweru, traders at DST Home Industry were left counting heavy losses after a massive fire swept through their stalls.
On Sunday, a terrifying grass fire raced towards the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), forcing four fire engines and 25 firefighters into a dramatic battle to save the campus. All the fires in Bulawayo were started through reckless burning of brush in high winds.
Zimbabwe is deep in its fire season, which peaks from mid-August to early November. Authorities warn that 43 percent of the country faces high fire risk this year, with 13 percent at extreme risk due to thick, dry grass from a bumper rainy season.
Coltart said his earlier pleas for the public to stop burning brush have been ignored. “I am appalled. The public needs to know that our fire department is stretched as it is and this flagrant breach of the law is putting them under intolerable work pressure and is endangering lives and property,” he fumed.
The mayor vowed to act tough. “I am going to push for far more stringent penalties and we are encouraging law enforcement agencies to bring the full weight of the law against all who burn,” he said.
He urged residents to take action before tragedy strikes again. “Please assist us in educating all that burning brush and garden refuse is an offence and dangerous,” he said.