SEDIBENG.- The Working on Fire Kishugu JV Gauteng has announced that it has recorded eighty fires since the start of the winter fire season.
The organization said that In July, it saw fire calls rising up to twenty-eight and that an estimated 1000 hectares were burned in that month. Parapara Makgahlela, from The Working on Fire Kishugu JV Gauteng, said that in August, there is an anticipation of more fires which will be attended by their firefighters in different bases across the province.
“Many of the burning permits for the fire breaks expired end of July, this means that no smoke period is upon us.”
General Manager in Gauteng, Stephen Boyes said that landowners need to be vigilant as fires are likely to burn more in August. ‘‘During this time, it is windy, dry, and warm. All our teams are on standby. Our firefighters are equal to the task of battling the blazes. Some of them were in Canada battling raging fires recently,’’ he said.
Boyes said more landowners where their teams are operating have done fire breaks as part of preparing for the worst-case fire scenario in time.
