Environment Hazard – Bush Burning

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Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about bush burning. Enjoy the class!

Environment Hazard – Bush Burning

It is the act of setting fire (intentionally or accidentally) on bush, forest, weeds, to clear out the vegetation. Bush can be set on fire deliberately either for agricultural purposes or for hunting purpose. Bush can also be set on fire accidentally by wind, lightning, careless dropping of a lit cigarette, fireworks, etc.

Practices that influence bush burning

1. Bush clearing: Some farmers choose to burn their farmland for easy clearing of land for quick cultivation of crops.
2. Pest control: Pest control is mostly common among cattle rearers. They set the bush on fire to control, prevent and kill pests feeding on their cattle.
3. Crop rotation: Crop rotation is done by planting and rotating crops on land for a period, after a while the crops are harvested, and the bush is cleared out to prepare for another planting season.
   

4. Hunting: Some hunters set the bush on fire deliberately, to chase and lead the animals in that area of land into their trap.
5. Deliberate bush burning by Fulani herdsmen, to grow new grasses for their cattle to feed on.
6. Lightning, the careless dropping of a lit cigarette, fireworks can also lead to bush burning.

Effects of bush burning

Bush burning is a very popular act in Nigeria, especially during the time of the dry season when the weeds, grasses are dry.

Some of the adverse effects of bush burning include the following:

1. Air pollution: During bush burning practice, heavy smoke is released into the atmosphere. The released smoke can cause several damages such as difficulty in breathing, depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, etc.
2. Greenhouse Effect: Greenhouse effect leads to the emission of greenhouse gases and thus, leads to global warming. Examples of greenhouse gases include nitrous oxide, carbon (iv) oxide, water vapour, etc.
   

3. Nutrients, such as Sulphur, nitrogen, phosphorous, that are highly needed by the plants are lost during bush burning practice as gases.
4. The heat produced during the bush burning act makes such environment unfavourable for organisms that live there.
5. The final product of the burnt bush (ashes) is very rich in potassium but can easily be washed away by rainfall.
   

6. It can lead to deforestation.
7. It can cause the destruction of the natural food chain in that area.
8. Loss of soil fertility.
9. It can also lead to the destruction of infrastructure.
10. Exposure of the soil to erosion.
11. It can also lead to desertification climatic draught, etc.
12. It can make the soil to lose its ability to absorb and retain water, thereby leading to flooring.

Regulations against bush burning

Some of the regulations to take against bush burning include the following:

1. Providing strict laws against bush burning.
2. Providing adequate education and public awareness of bush burning.
3. Using only easily controlled location for burning.
4. Burning of combustible materials or substances should be avoided.

 

In our next class, we will be talking about Environmental Hazard – Flooding.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

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