Dry air and a lack of moisture in vegetation make the perfect environment for veld fires to erupt. Farmers are urged to prepare for such occurrences.
Although veld fires can be caused by natural events such as lightning, during drier seasons careless management can result in devastating losses, warn fire protection specialists.
Food For Mzansi unpacked this topic with Dale Nortje, wildfire consultant manager at Winelands Fire Protection Association, and Dr Jack Armour, commercial manager at Free State Agriculture. Dale Nortje is also the chairperson of the National Veld Fire Advisory Forum which covers all the umbrella fire protection associations of South Africa.
Nortje encourages landowners, livestock and crop producers to familiarise themselves with the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA), no 101 of 1998.
“The act has been recently amended, but the fundamentals remain exactly the same. There are certain sections of the act that need to be complied with by all landowners on whose property a fire may start and or spread,” he says.
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Nortje and Armour share some essential guidelines for having farm property adequately prepared in the event of veld fires.
Preparing and maintaining firebreaks
Nortje highlights chapter 4 of the NVFFA which places a duty on landowners to prepare and maintain firebreaks. “The main one is having fire breaks in place on their boundaries, which will prevent or help to prevent fire spreading from their property to other properties.”
When making firebreaks, Nortje advises farmers to bear the following in mind:
- Breaks must be wide and long enough to have a reasonable chance of preventing a veld fire from spreading to or from neighbouring land.
- Firebreaks must be made in such a way that they don’t cause soil erosion.
- The breaks must be free of inflammable material capable of carrying a veld fire across it.
Armour adds that firebreaks should be made before the fire season. He emphasises that no fires should be made for the maintenance of firebreaks during high fire danger index conditions or without the express permission and instruction of the district fire control officer.
The entire South Africa can be at risk of wildfires and landowners are required to have firebreaks in place, but the following are especially vulnerable:
- High fuel-load (grass, bush or tree) density areas;
- Municipal communities and farmers bordering them; and
- Townships and informal settlements which rely on fires for heating and cooking.
Keep firefighting equipment, trained personnel on hand
Chapter 5 of the act stipulates that landowners need adequately trained personnel available.
“The landowner has an obligation to have adequate personnel that are trained for firefighting, as well as the use of equipment in order to try and either extinguish or prevent a fire that does start on their property from spreading to other persons’ properties as well,” Nortje explains.
Remove dead plant debris
Dry plant material makes excellent fuel for fire. Landowners need to clear their property of any excessive and unnecessary vegetation. This “fuel load management” is critical, says Nortje.
“There are a number of ways of managing that. Burning is one, but [fuel load can be managed] through other methods of removing vegetation. You can either chip it or physically remove it to another site.”
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Fire-resistant shelters and enclosures
Farmers are advised to remove livestock, personnel and assets from infrastructure built from flammable materials.
Nortje notes, “Most shelters and buildings are made from fire-resistant materials in South Africa but in certain areas where there’s thatch housing or wooden housing, wooden sheds, etc. it’s important to clear around those places quite thoroughly.”
Identify ‘safe zones’ on property
Armour says areas within the firebreaks as designated by the local Fire Protection Association are considered safe zones.
He adds, “In extremely dangerous conditions or where there is a confirmed fire approaching, fences or gates need to be quickly opened and animals chased to an area which can be sprinkled, a bare kraal (often around a watering point) or a feedlot.”
Inspect the property regularly
Armour advises farmers to look out for hazardous Eskom power lines.
“Bird nests, broken infrastructure swaying in the wind, power lines touching and creating sparks need to be reported as soon as possible before a fire occurs to the Eskom emergency repairs number, 08600 ESKOM or 0860037566.”
Furthermore, workers’ housing needs to have safe electrical connection points, as well as pits where smouldering embers from a fireplace can be discarded and put out properly with water. Lightning conductors need to be well earthed.
Nortje gave the following pointers:
- Ensure before the fire season that gutters are kept clean as often as possible.
- Flammable chemicals and liquids should be kept in fireproof rooms.
- Be aware of poorly maintained electrical distribution lines. When they are not maintained they break off the poles and can cause arcing which leads to fires.
- Don’t throw cigarette butts on the ground.
- Don’t leave warming fires open and unattended.
“All these are little things that can be done to help prevent fires. If a fire does occur or if you see smoke in the area, report it through the various platforms that are out there. Either to your fire services, if you have one, or to the fire protection association,” shares Nortje.
Stay informed
“Municipal communities and farmers bordering them are particularly vulnerable, as well as many townships and informal settlements that rely on fire for heating and cooking. Be actively part of the local Fire Protection Association or FPA sector group,” encourages Armour.
Non-compliance with the NVFFA can result in court cases and in the case of civil actions, there will be claims for damages.
For more information on veld fire or wildfire management, visit Winelands Fire Protection Association website.
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