ion. Lands are often set
f preparing lands.
CAUCE O'200E
zo A |
d t Tokuroanu
+...
Addo Nkwanta |.
Y NS ; Fr400N
SS N Pui
5 (^ /Katanga
© Legend
® Sampling Sites
— River
77777 Road
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9 Kilometers = Bune
(100€ UZ00E
ly Area
LS AND METHODS
ws with opinion leaders
mblymen and women,
1d National Disaster and
| (e.g. Gangemi et al,
interviewed in 17 towns
spondents selected from
patial distribution of the
d into East Krachi and
mpling method without
mmunities (e.g. Kusimi
eople selected in each
ion size. Focus groups
ng farmers and Fulani
)3). Proceedings were
ment information from
ermination of change in
sat ETM+ of 2002 and
loadable scenes of the
) scenes of row and path
€ downloaded from the
ite www.glcforg and
nages were acquired on
8 200N
reu
Table 1: Number of Respondents Selected for the Questionnaire
Administration.
Town Population No. of
Respondents
Dambai 13,768 25
Kete Krachi 9,285 10
Banda 6,730 S
Borae 4.108 6
Pui Katanga 3,381 5
Tokuroanu 3,271 5
Chinderi 2,815 4
Gulbi 2,779 4
Bajamse 2,290 4
Kunda 2.131 4
Osramani 1,950 4
Boafri 1,773 4
Akania 1,637 3
Ayinamae 1,576 3
Ehiamakyene 1572 3
Dormabin 1,500 3
Zongo Marcheri 1,432 4
Kparekpare 1,237 2
Addo Nkwanta 1,178 2
Kpelema 1,149 2
Total 159,925 102
Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2000
10? December whiles those of 2003 were on 27^ January. All
the images were of resolution 30m and processed to LIT before
acquisition. The 2002 images (054/193) and (055/193) had
cloud cover of 16% and 27% respectively. The images were
cropped to size using geographical coordinates of the study
area. Landsat ETM+ 2002 image was used as the pre-fire image
and Landsat ETM+ 2003 as the post-fire image. Normalised
burn ratio (NBR) of each image was determined using the
following algorithm in Idrisi (Eidenshink et al, 2007; Miller and
Yool, 2002):
band4—band7
NBR = =e (1).
band4+band7
Afterwards, scenes of the same year were mosaic into one
image (Figs.3 and 4). The post-fire NBR image is differenced
from the pre-fire image to obtain changes in vegetative cover
denoted as dNBR (Fig.5) (Eidenshink et al, 2007).
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
With increasing encroachment of human populations into the
wilderness there is also an increased threat to private and public
infrastructure from wildfire effects. Not only are natural view
sheds and recreational areas at risk of disappearing for decades
or even centuries, but human lives, property, and livelihoods are
at risk (Miller and Yool, 2002).
4.1. Causes of bushfires in the District
One of the critical environmental problems facing the Krachi
District and for that matter Ghana in the dry season is bushfire
and there are several reasons explaining the prevalence of this
practice in the study area. It must also be stated that, the extent
41
and intensity of these fires are greater in the savannah
ecosystems where this study took place especially during
harmattan seasons as compared to the forest ecosystems.
Bushfires in the Krachi District revolves around the socio-
economic activities of the people such as farming and cattle
rearing. Fire is widely accepted throughout the country as being
a valuable tool in the management of natural vegetation. Field
survey indicated that about 60% of bushfires are caused by
peasant farmers, 30% attributed to pastoralists, 6% to ward-off
snakes and 4% due to the traditional festivals of the people (fire
festival etc).
Fires are used to clear lands for farming especially during the
dry season. This is because it is a cheaper, faster and easier
method of clearing lands. Though some farmers do it
intentionally, others create fire belts, but in the dry season, the
harmattan winds could be too strong and cause spill over to
unintended lands.
The study also revealed that, the need to get fresh regrowth of
grass for cattle grazing by Fulani herders promotes bush
burning. During the dry season, local cattle herders and
immigrants from neighbouring countries, Mali and Burkina
Faso called the Fulani set ablaze the vegetation to promote early
regrowth of fresh pasture for the animals. Sometimes village
folks are paid some token fees by these nomadic herdsmen to
set the dry vegetation ablaze during the dry months of
November to March while they move southwards to find fresh
vegetation for the cattle. The herdsmen return with their cattle
around April and May by which time the vegetation might have
resprouted by the early rains of April and May. Most herders
believe that bush burning improves the palatability and
nutritional value of grasses and trees for grazing (Nsiah-
Gyabaah, 1996). The vegetation is also set ablaze when the
headsmen notice that their heads of cattle are going to fall into
the hands of harmful pests and insects such as ticks and tsetse
flies.
Snake bites are a serious health problem confronting most
communities and they resort to early burning of the vegetation
to control the number of snakes in the ecosystem. This is due to
the fact that, though snake bite patients entitle to free medical
care at the health centres, however these health centres in most
cases are inaccessible due to either the poor nature of the road,
shortage of anti-snake serums and the distance to health post is
sometimes far.
Hunting is also another important livelihood activity in the
savannah ecosystems especially in the dry season; most people
go on hunting expeditions and set fires to drive out game to kill
because meat forms one of the primary sources of protein
amongst the people. Accidental causes of wildfires involved
cooking in the farms, palm wine tapping, charcoal burning,
honey extraction and cigarette smoking.
From the respondents, it was noted that people are aware of
PNDC Law 227 which prohibits the setting of bushfires.
However, the enforcement of this legislation in the rural areas
has been ineffective because state agencies; National Fire
Service, National Disaster and Management Organization,
Wildlife and Forestry Commission charged with controlling the
menace are under staffed and ill-equipped to tackle the problem
of bushfires.
4.2. Effects of bushfires in the District
The impact of the annual burning of the wild is discussed in
two thematic areas; the socio-economic and environmental
effects.
