By Alani Janeke
One of the worst fire seasons in the country’s history is expected this year in the summer rain region due to several factors. Fire protection associations are asking their members to be extremely vigilant, while members of the public are also being asked to act responsibly.
The government’s budget deficit has a wide-ranging impact on the country. One of the consequences of this is that the budgets available for the Working with Fire (WoF) teams have been cut by 17% this year. As a result, several WoF employees have been laid off. Fewer teams and fewer resources will therefore be available to fight fires this year.
Coupled with this fact, vegetation is sparse, especially after heavy rains fell widely across the summer rainfall region in late summer. This all forms part of a recipe for a potentially severe fire season.
“It is definitely going to be an interesting fire season,” notes Johann “Savage” Breytenbach, manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association.
Eric Stoch, chairperson of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association says they are expecting possibly the worst fire season in history.
Simon Thomas, general manager of the KwaZulu-Natal Fire Protection Association (KZNBBV), says they are particularly concerned about the impact that the absence of a helicopter to fight fires in this province will have on their efforts. Due to budget constraints, only one aircraft is available this year. An aircraft needs a landing strip to land and take off, while a helicopter can scoop water from the air.
Fire protection associations in the Northern Cape share the concerns of these provinces. However, they are also deeply concerned about the condition of the roads on which fire crews have to travel quickly to fires.
“Some of the roads (dirt and tar) in our province are really bad. This makes rapid response to fires incredibly difficult,” says Sarel de Wet, chairperson of the Northern Cape Umbrella Fire Protection Association. He asks farmers and/or any members of fire protection associations to be extremely careful when fires break out and not to put their own lives at risk by trying to fight wildfires. “People shouldn’t be cowboys!”
These five factors are extremely important
Breytenbach says the following five factors are very important in firefighting:
- Well-organised and coordinated communication and logistical arrangements are the core of successful firefighting. Make sure you are part of an organised firefighting group, as it is dangerous. “People underestimate the danger of fires. It is extremely dangerous to fight fires!”
- “Leave your shorts and amaphacaphaca at home!” Breytenbach says it is extremely important for those fighting fires to wear the correct fire-resistant clothing. “Do not show up to a fire wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt and amaphacaphaca. This is a dangerous situation and you must ensure you wear shoes and clothing that are not flammable. Do not wear clothing made of synthetic materials – it is highly flammable and can melt on you.”
- Those involved in firefighting, including farmers and farm workers, must ensure they receive ongoing firefighting training. “Fires are changing, especially as the climate has changed in recent years. The way things were done 20 or even 10 years ago is no longer necessarily applicable.”
- Make sure neither you nor your workers do anything outdoors that could cause a fire on extremely windy days or on days when there is a high fire danger warning. These activities include using tools such as a grinder or anything that could cause sparks in the field. Also, do not braai or burn rubbish in the open field on such days. “More than 85% of all fires are caused by negligence.”
- All members of the public, not just farmers, farm workers or members of a fire association, should heed fire warnings issued by the South African Weather Service. “Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility, not just that of certain people.”
