‘Tis fire season – What you need to know …

Working on Fire has warned the public that the winter fire season, which normally poses a serious threat to the economic and social well-being of the farmers and rural dwellers in and around Gauteng, is here.

Stephen Boyes, General Manager for the Working on Fire programme in Gauteng, said the West Rand district area as a fire hot spot recorded 196 fires which Working on Fire teams attended to during the 2018 fire season.

Ryan Marsden, chairperson of the Rietlaagte Fire Protection Association, added that the livelihoods of the farmers and rural dwellers are at risk of being ruined by veld fires if the community is not prepared for such eventualities.

“My property was burned in 2016, and my thanks go to the Working on Fire programme’s Maropeng team for helping in putting out the fire. The thatch-roofed house caught fire, and I nearly lost everything to the fire,’’ said an enthusiastic Ryan.

He said as result of that, in his position as fire protection officer, he has decided to raise more fire awareness by organising a fire season launch in Magaliesberg this year.

Working on Fire is an expanded public works programme funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs. There are 17 teams and 368 firefighters in the province, with five of those teams stationed in the West Rand District.

They are a primary resource in the fight against veld and forest fires in the area. Ryan said the first thing to do in preparation for the fire season is to burn fire breaks, which is normally done by Working on Fire firefighters.

He said he invited the media, the Working on Fire programme, the Mogale City Fire Protection Association, the police, Netcare, Benjiflo, landowners, local businesses, members of the general public and the West District Municipality, among others, to attend the fire season launch to be held at the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika in Magaliesberg on Saturday, 25 May.

One of the objectives of the event is to encourage extensive fire safety tips- and information-sharing among the landowners and the public. This, he said, will help in developing counter-measures for the firefighting plan.

Ryan encouraged every landowner to register as a member of the Fire Protection Association, as insurance companies may not pay out any money in the event of a property being burned.

“Farmers and landowners are at the receiving end of these crippling fires,” said Ryan.

He urged young and old to attend the event, because veld fires threaten every human being irrespective of age. ‘‘Our aim is to save lives and protect the properties of landowners during the fire season.”

Nedbank is supporting the day as part of their Proud of My Town campaign.

Stephen Boyes added that it is vital to inform landowners of their role as a primary firefighting resource leading into this fire season.

He urged landowners to come out in numbers to this prestigious and important day. “Our firefighters are professional and well trained. I will be there to display our firefighting resources to landowners and the public. On the day, we will demonstrate fire-wall exercises, drills, and the usage of skit unit equipment, to mention but a few of the things we will do.”

Their teams, he said, are ready to assist landowners with fire breaks and fire suppression via their Fire Protection Association (FPA).

Landowners are requested to register their interest by contacting Ryan Marsden on 083 324 2651 or Ryan@magaliesburgdevelopment.com.