Sifting through the ashes of fire season
Conditions stemming from the drought remain a major concern. “With the increase of fire call-outs in KZN due to negligence, there is a worry of running out of water if there is a big fire in rural areas, far from water sources.”
The first period of ‘fire season’ is over.
On a provincial level, government-funded Working on Fire (WoF) has responded to almost 300 incidents during June, 80 per cent of which ignited through operational fire breaks.
Officials said this was an early start to the winter fire season.
Partly due to the dry weather and late seasonal frosts, land owners began with fire breaks much later in the season and sadly paid a price.
However, the challenge is just beginning for the Fire Protection Association (FPA) and WoF.
Reflecting on multiple call-outs received each week, FPA spokesman, Simon Thomas urged landowners and residents to exercise extreme caution, considering dry conditions and abnormal fire behaviour.
“Almost 80 per cent of the fires attended in the month of June were fires started from operational fire breaks.”
Elaborating, WoF KwaZulu-Natal General Manager, Carl van Loggerenberg said teams of firefighters had been camped out to handle fire breaks in a widespread campaign.
Conditions stemming from the drought remain a major concern.
“With the increase of fire call-outs in KZN due to negligence, there is a worry of running out of water if there is a big fire in rural areas, far from water sources.”
In the meantime, WoF KZN conducted fire alerts on a weekly basis and hosted fire awareness campaigns across the province in the months prior to fire season.
“We have initiated fire prevention initiatives such as fuel load reduction, creation of fire breaks and mandatory fire safety campaigns.”
WoF has 850 fully-trained firefighters stationed at 31 bases across KZN, with access to 28 vehicles, nine buses, 8 trucks, 11 bakkies, a spotter and a helicopter.
Remember, fires stop with you.
