The West Rand area is leading the Gauteng Province with high fire statistics (207) recorded this fire season.

According to Working on Fire’s (WoF) Provincial Communications Officer, Parapara Makgahlela, “Veld and forest fire statistics from May to date shows that 15 Working on Fire teams in Gauteng fought 405 veld and forest fires across the province. The hectors burnt for September are estimated at 59186.28.

“Landowners and farmers are advised to remain alert and vigilant on veld and forest fires. This is a no smoke or burning period. A fire season is not over until the province receives rainfalls and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries declaring the fire season over.”

With the West Rand declared the highest in Gauteng it is followed by the De Wildt area which recorded 82 fires alone in September.

Working on Fire‘s General Manager in Gauteng Province Avhasei Maswime said that he is concerned with damage due to unwanted veld and forest fires that ripped through the province.

“For instance this year we had a case of fire which lasted for two days in Kloofzig area in the Krugersdorp area which Working on Fire teams fought fire to the end. We are still expecting more high volumes of fire calls because we are still at the middle of the critical fire season-the October month.

“Fires are causing massive environmental damage. The fauna and flora were dearly damaged in that reserve,” Maswime explained.

“The programme has close to 500 WoF fire fighters stationed at 15 bases across the province. Through Integrated Fire Management System, there was a need to prevent veld and forest fires through utilizing services of Working on Fire teams.”

Maswime added that firefighters also do fire prevention initiatives such as fuel load reduction, prescribed burning, creation of fire breaks and mandatory fires safety campaigns before the start of the fire season.

“Land owners and farmers should establish Fire Protection Associations.”

He says that WoF fire fighters are professionally trained to suppress veld and forest fires. 

“They are deployed to various bases in the province to save lives, conserve environment, reduce the personal and economic harm caused by unwanted wildfires,” concluded the GM.