The Department of Environmental Affairs’ Working on Fire programme is embarking on a pre-winter fire awareness campaign across Gauteng.
“Part of our mandate is to save lives and protect the environment,” said Lerato Mokwena, a community fire awareness officer.
The purpose of the pre-winter fire awareness campaign is to empower communities in areas prone to veld fires with the knowledge of how to prevent fires.
“Fire preparedness and education,” she said, “are critical elements in integrated fire management.”
“The winter fire season can be very dangerous; therefore we need to be confident that our communities are empowered with both knowledge and safety skills,” Lerato said.
Lerato said the Working on Fire programme in the province is collaborating with all the municipal public safety departments to roll out the winter fire awareness campaign. She said she anticipates a busy and dangerous fire season, therefore the fire safety message is important.
“At Working on Fire, we say zero tolerance to killer fires this coming winter fire season,” she continued. “All the regions require the same amount of attention. The good rains we’ve had mean that there is lots of vegetation right across the province, providing lots of fuel for veld fires.”
She added that the Working on Fire programme in Gauteng recorded 447 fires and 102 546ha of land burnt during the last fire season.
There are 17 Working on Fire teams based throughout Gauteng, ready to battle fires this fire season.
She said that they are conducting door-to-door campaigns in areas where fires are a nightmare every winter.
Stephen Boyes, Working on Fire in Gauteng Province’s General Manager said that education is one of the key components of preventing and fighting fires.
“With this pre-winter fire awareness campaign, we hope to educate those vulnerable to veld fires in the province,” he said.
He concluded by saying that as the winter fire season approaches, Working on Fire has a responsibility to help communities with fire safety tips.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
