Ghana’s National Fire Service (GNFS) has priced the cost to the community of 85 fire outbreaks in one region so far this year at 1 million cedi (about $320,000 Australian).

Assistant chief fire officer Augustine Gomez attributed most the fires in the area to bush burning and windy weather that spread flames to neighbouring properties.

Gomez said the region recorded 188 fire outbreaks in 2013 and 200 in 2014 and said the GNFS would intensify its public fire safety education campaign to help reduce the incidence of fires in the communities.

To achieve this, the GNFS, has lined up a series of public education and other sensitisation initiatives to educate citizens on the need to adopt, practise and adhere to basic fire safety practices, precautions and interventions.

GNFS personnel recently marched through the streets carrying placards reading: “Fire prevention is better than fire fighting”, “Fire safety is a shared responsibility”, “Avoid overloading sockets” and “Switch off all electrical gadgets.”