VAAL MARINA. – The fourth group of South African firefighters, consisting of local firefighters from Vaal Marina, returned to South Africa following a successful deployment to Canada.
The group consisted of 215 members from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment’s Working on Fire Programme, who returned to South Africa following their successful deployment to the Province of British Columbia, Canada, where they played a vital role in firefighting efforts against wildfires during the past month.
The Vaal Marina team in the Midvaal had firefighters who were part of the deployment namely, Leberoko Nameka and Johanna Mofokeng. Mofokeng said that they saw the severe damage that the fires caused in British Columbia.
‘‘We got our hands dirty doing the fire hotspot digging and tracing. This is a rare thing to happen in the South African context. More water is used in firefighting in Canada. We have lent our hand to help quell the underground fires,’’ said Mofokeng, who hails from Mamellong on the edge of Vaal Dam.
Mofokeng added that the deployment aided in terms of enhancing their skills and methods of fighting fires here in South Africa.
‘‘This has been an eye opener because massive forests have burned. A great experience which will be beneficial to the country as we confront the challenges of climate change’’ explained Mofokeng.
Mofokeng is ready to help her Vaal Marina team finish off the winter fire season on a high note. Mofokeng said that fire is posing a threat to human lives and livelihoods.
