The number of veld fires have escalated in the area during the past weeks.
According to Working on Fire’s communication officer in Gauteng, Parapara Makgahlela their teams in Merafong attended 27 fires since the start of the season.
Four of these have been around Carletonville, 16 in the Wedela area and seven in the area of the Abe Bailey nature reserve.
The Working on Fire-Kishugu Joint Venture in Gauteng has recorded 137 wildland fires since the start of the winter fire season. An estimated 4 688 hectares of grassland vegetation have been scorched by wildland fires.
General Manager Stephen Boyes explained that the team has been busy creating firebreaks and suppressing fires.
”There is a surge in terms of fires this month. The vegetation is currently very dry and the impact of climate change would exacerbate the intensity, frequency, and spread of wildfires. We urge people not leave fires unattended, or start fires, or throw away burning cigarette butts.”
He anticipates more fires that would be attended by firefighters in different bases across the province. Many of the burning permits for the firebreaks would expire at the end of July. This means landowners need to finish forming firebreaks by the end of the month. Boyes warn that landowners need to be vigilant as fires are likely to break out.
”It is windy, dry, and warm. Our firefighters are equal to the task of battling the blazes. Some of them were in Canada battling raging fires recently,” he said.
The Working on Fire Kishugu Joint Venture uses the Fire Danger Index as a rating system that indicates the fire risk for a specific area on a specific day. The National Veld and Forest Fire Act of 1998 prohibits people from creating firebreaks unless the fire authorities had issued burning permits.
