To be honest, I haven’t really witnessed many natural disasters in my life, but then there’s one particular incident that I can never forget — a bushfire that happened in my school earlier this year.
It all happened during the dry season, and as usual, most of the farmers around had already started preparing for the next planting season. Normally, there’s a wide stretch of grassland surrounding our farmhouse. We, the agric students, usually use that area for our practicals and planting different crops. But before planting, the farmers always clear the bushes, and one of the common methods they use is bush burning.
That day seemed like any other day. The farmers had set fire to a section of the bush, just as they always do. At first, everything looked normal. The fire was small, and it seemed like they had it under control. I wasn’t even paying much attention at the beginning because bush burning was something we’d seen happen many times before. But then, out of nowhere, things took a different turn.
The fire began to spread beyond the area they intended to burn. At first, it was slow, but the harmattan breeze picked up and made the flames dance wildly. The wind seemed to push the fire forward, giving it more life and making it spread faster than anyone expected. Before we knew it, the flames were racing across the grassland in the direction of other parts of the farmland.
That was when the panic started. People began shouting and pointing towards the direction the fire was heading. The most frightening part was that the flames were getting dangerously close to the maize plantation. If the fire reached there, it could easily destroy months of hard work in just minutes.
The real shock came when we noticed that the fire wasn’t just heading towards the farmland — it was also making its way towards the girls’ hostel. That was the moment everyone realized how serious the situation was. If it got too close, it could have easily put lives at risk.
You could see the fear in people’s eyes. The fire was wild and unpredictable, and the crackling sound of the flames only made the whole situation feel worse. Some students were running around, others were standing frozen, just watching in disbelief.
Thankfully, the school security officials responded quickly. They came rushing to the scene with fire extinguishers and started working on containing the flames. I honestly don’t know how they managed to stop it because the fire was moving so fast, but after some tense and exhausting moments, they were finally able to put it out before it caused any major damage.
The relief that washed over everyone was huge. People were talking about what could have happened if they had been just a few minutes late. That day taught me an important lesson — bushfires are not something to take lightly. What started as a routine farming practice could have easily turned into a full-blown disaster.
Since that day, I’ve looked at bush burning differently. I now understand the importance of having proper supervision and safety measures in place, especially in dry weather. Seeing pictures and videos of bushfires online is one thing, but witnessing one with your own eyes, feeling the heat, hearing the crackle, and smelling the smoke — it changes the way you see it completely. That day was scary, but it also opened my eyes to just how powerful and dangerous nature can be.
Thanks for reading.
