Working on Fire fights 362 fires across Mpumalanga in 2023

The Working on Fire (WOF) Mpumalanga teams had their work cut out during the fire season.

The 2023 winter fire season officially ended on October 31, and once again highlighted the huge number of fire management and suppression efforts undertaken by the WOF. The season, which officially started on June 1, demanded resilience from these firefighter teams.

WOF’s general manager, Martin Bolton, said what sets this season apart from previous ones is that the organisation engaged in fire suppression operations even before the official fire season started. The ground and aerial teams responded to 362 fires in the province since the beginning of the year, with 350 of them occurring within the official winter fire season. This once again proved the commitment and expertise of the WOF-Kishugu team. The WOF teams also assisted their international peers during the year as fires blazed out of control in Alberta, Canada.

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Bolton expressed his appreciation to stakeholders, partners and management who contributed to the season’s success. He gave special recognition to the WOF Programme teams for their dedication. “Mpumalanga recorded the most fires in the country during this season and September proved to be the most challenging month. Our teams were called to action for 109 fires during that month alone, surpassing the callouts in any other province where Working on Fire operates,” he said.

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He said across the Lowveld region, the Injaka and Diepdrift Forestry Support Programme (FSP) teams were the most active, assisting the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in tackling 62 fires. “It is important to acknowledge the significant influence of climate change in the rise of fire incidents. Our collective efforts have proven effective in managing these challenges, but the need for continued vigilance and sustainable practices remains essential as we address the evolving impacts of a changing climate. We extend our appreciation to the FSP teams and their management who prioritised safety, saved lives and protected our environment during this season.”

He said aerial firefighting support played an essential role this season, with the WOF-Kishugu aviation unit providing a total of 363 hours of assistance. Some fires required intensive aerial firefighting measures, and Kishugu Aviation stepped up to the plate by successfully responding to the many blazes.