Oshakati: The Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Johnson Ndokosho, has called for a united national effort to prevent and combat wildfires, saying the growing threat cannot be addressed by a single institution alone. Speaking during a national workshop to review the draft Wildfire Prevention and Response Protocol in Oshakati on Tuesday, Ndokosho said wildfires continue to cause extensive environmental and economic damage across the country.According to Namibia Press Agency, Ndokosho noted that wildfires negatively affect key sectors of the economy, including tourism and agriculture, while also threatening property and human lives. "We lose at least about 2.5 billion hectares of the landmass affected by fires or wildfires. Now, these fires are very, very destructive to a lot of activities. It affects our tourism activities, it affects our livelihood in terms of grazing for our livestock. Properties, fences get burned down and people lose their lives sometimes," he said .He added that a coordinated and robust response is essential to effectively manage wildfire incidents and safeguard lives and property, while reducing the impact of fires. The director said most fires are caused by people and warned that fire is often handled recklessly, especially during conditions that favor its spread such as high temperatures, strong winds, and dry fuel. He cautioned that starting open fires under such conditions can quickly lead to disaster, and called for increased public education to encourage people to handle fire more responsibly.Speaking at the same engagement, Oshana Governor Hofni Iipinge stressed the importance of stakeholder collaboration in developing an effective and practical wildfire response framework. "The success of this protocol will depend on the collective wisdom, commitment, and ownership of all stakeholders. Let us work together to ensure that the national wildfire prevention and response protocol is inclusive, practical, and responsive to the reality on the gro und," he said.Iipinge also called on traditional authorities and communities to strengthen wildfire preparedness measures ahead of the fire season, such as removing unnecessary fencing that may hinder firefighting operations, and establishing firebreaks and preparing firefighting equipment in advance. The two-day workshop brought together stakeholders from across the country to review and strengthen the draft protocol before its adoption and implementation.