The Department of Environmental Affairs has advised that they are preparing for and putting measures in place ahead of the 2018 winter fire season.
The department said over 4 000 fire-fighters stationed at 160 bases across South Africa will be ready for the start of the winter fire season, which could last up to the end of November this year.
Edna Molewa, the Minister of Environmental Affairs said, “These firefighters are professionally trained to suppress veld and forest fires, and have been deployed throughout the country to reduce the personal and economic harm caused by unwanted wildfires.”
Molewa also lauded the Working on Fire fire-fighters for their foresight and hard work in preparing for the fire season in good time.
“The entire country was gripped in one of the most devastating droughts in living memory over the last two to three years with some parts still being severely impacted which have had a negative effect on the economy as a whole.
“As a result of the current drought, a very difficult winter fire season is expected; however, through partnerships with Provincial Disaster Management Centres, Fire Protection Associations, SANParks, various private and public landowners and local municipalities, the department will be able to respond quickly and render a highly skilled veldfire suppression service which is unparalleled anywhere in the country,” Molewa said.
Molewa said Working on Fire has also established a National Deployment team which can be dispatched to anywhere in the country to assist farmers and land owners with fire suppression efforts.
Minister Molewa also urged landowners to work with Working on Fire so that they can be assisted with the development of clear integrated fire management services which include prescribed burning, fuel load reduction, community fire awareness, early detection and fire suppression plans.
The Working on Fire team will also launch the Community Fire Awareness Campaigns throughout the country in April. These will be aimed at teaching communities how to be fire safe in order to prevent unwanted veld and forest fires and to raise awareness of the risk thereof, while empowering those at risk to take the responsibility of reducing the danger and impact of fires in their communities.
“We also urge communities to be more vigilant during this fire season and not to start unnecessary fires, particularly during the dry winter weather,” said Minister Molewa.
She said communities should also take extra care by removing unnecessary rubble on their properties which can pose a serious fire risk, cutting down overhanging tree branches close to their properties and cleaning their gutters as the leaves that end up in these gutters also can pose a fire risk.
“House-owners next to grasslands need to ensure that there are sufficient fire breaks between their properties and these grasslands.
“For the sake of general safety, members of the community should ensure that they have the contact details of their local fire authorities at hand should there be a fire emergency,” Molewa concluded.
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