Fiji Pine Ltd warns communities over rising fire threat

Communities, landowners and stakeholders are being urged to take precautionary measures to prevent accidental fires in their respective areas.

Fiji Pine Limited’s newly appointed general manager operations, Apisai Rinamalo, has raised concerns about the increasing occurrence of forest fires in the Western and Northern divisions, as well as the effects of El Niño.

Mr Rinamalo discussed the challenges facing the pine industry during a courtesy visit to Divisional Commissioner West and Acting Divisional Commissioner North Apolosi Lewaqai this week.

The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening community awareness, preparedness and collective responsibility in protecting Fiji’s pine resources.

Mr Rinamalo spoke about his previous experience in the Western Division, where he served as Director of Forestry West and participated in the Heads of Department Forum.

Mr Lewaqai also acknowledged Mr Rinamalo’s understanding of the operational environment and the issues affecting both divisions.

Mr Rinamalo urged communities and landowners to observe the following fire safety measures:

• Avoid careless use of fire near forests and plantation areas.
• Ensure all controlled burning is properly managed and supervised.
• Extinguish fires completely before leaving the area.
• Immediately report any signs of bush or forest fires to the relevant authorities.

"Protecting our forests is a shared responsibility. The cooperation of every community and landowner is essential in safeguarding our natural resources, livelihoods, and the environment for future generations. Prevent fires. Protect our forests. Protect our future," he said.