AFTER THE FIREWORKS CAME THE FIRE. A week into this brand new year, the news from the world’s most publicly developed economy was lit up in more literal a manner than social media normally uses the term.
More than a week later, we are still watching news reports about the California wildfires and praying for people there. I personally know a couple of compatriots who have had to move home because, obviously, they would rather be alive than turned into ashes.
The statistics around the fire are as amazing as the videos of the infernos in various parts of that state. So far, only 25 people are reported to have died in the tragedy, which is a surprisingly small number considering the spread of the fires—said to cover nearly 30,000 acres.
For comparison here, Kampala is about 46,702 acres according to the internet in general—and that’s just the five main divisions. Imagine, in fear, most of Kampala district being turned into a field of ashes.
The US being what it is, the value of the damage is estimated to be between US$135-US$150 billion. Our GDP – Uganda – in 2023 was US$50billion and the GDP of the East African Community (EAC) in general is estimated to be a little under US$200billion.
We’d be burnt out of existence!
Starting out the year with this in mind should shape our approach to a few basic things around us—domestically as well as a nation and region.
In my case, I made some changes within my homestead years ago when I installed basic firefighting equipment and trained the people who spend time in the house on how to use it.
The sand in the bucket around the cooking areas had calcified, and so that needed a quick round of maintenance, but my fire extinguisher servicing is up-to-date, so I have few worries about it’s functionality.
However, as in the case of many of the reports from California, I am not sure about my neighbours and their set-up.
Most of the news reports about the wildfires there speak of ‘neighbourhoods’ for obvious reasons, and I had to look out of my window at some point to do a layman’s assessment of our risk here if a tragedy of this nature hit us.
I believe it was no coincidence that a day later I received an email with that day’s devotional reading from Matthew 5:43 and then Matthew 22:37-39:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” and “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.”
My (and your) concern about protecting the home from incidents such as fire outbreaks will mean nothing if the neighbours are not equally protected. The same applies when dealing with pests and rodents.
For 2025, it’s fires, because if ever there was a sign from God for the world to pay attention to, it is this. We need to be serious about climate change.
Various scientists, including the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), confirmed just this week that 2024 was the hottest year on record in history. Global temperatures soared, and we kept seeing reports of heat waves, fire outbreaks, and floods linked to climate warmth.
One day in December I was surprised to receive an internet notification about how dangerous the heat was where I was frolicking in Kampala, with an advisory that I should stay indoors and wear a hat!
Did my neighbours receive such a notification? I doubt it. Hence one of my key changes (not resolutions) this year—to ensure my neighbours are as protected as I want to be.
Like many of you might be thinking, ‘climate change’ is too big a thing for you to tackle on a whole as an individual. But think again—you have a small role to play and it could make a little difference, so play it; but while doing so, include your neighbours as well.
If you make just one resolution or change in your home, it’s ensuring your neighbours are as protected as you want to be, so share information with them, and when you buy your fire extinguisher, please give them the supplier contacts as well, so you save your home AND neighbourhood from a devastating inferno.
PS. YOU need firefighting solutions at home? Call Alex Kalenge on +256772402909 or David Busima on +256774070302. NOW.
Simon Kaheru
Jambo (Hi)! I'd be happy to hear your thoughts so…say something here?