Working on Fire (WoF), the Government funded programme to help fight veldfires, has been hard at work during the past few months, as it readied itself for the winter fire season in the Free State and Northern Cape, which officially started on the 1st June 2013.
Close to 700 WoF veldfire fire fighters are stationed in 27 teams across the Free State (21 teams) and Northern Cape (6 teams).
These fire fighters are ready to spring into action within minutes of receiving a call for help, following the start of the Free State and Northern Cape fire season which began on the 1st of June and lasts until 30 November. Many specialists expect that there will be an increased risk of veld and forest fires, given the current long term weather forecast for both Provinces.
According to Masibonge Silevu, the Assistant General Manager of WoF in the Free State and Northern Cape, “WoF fire fighters are professionally trained to suppress veld and forest fires and they have been deployed throughout these two provinces to reduce the personal and economic harm caused by unwanted wildfire. We have deployed our teams in areas with the highest fire risk, and they can be on the scene within minutes of receiving a call for help”.
Silevu said, “We are confident that once we have received a request for assistance through our existing partnership agreements with the Fire Protection Associations, SanParks and local municipalities, we will be able to render highly skilled veld fire suppression services which are unparalleled anywhere in South Africa”.
Silevu also pointed out that the 2012 fire season was difficult in the 2 Provinces and WoF attended to 106 fires and an estimated 90860 hectares were burnt in the Northern Cape and 154 fires totalling 120889 hectares in the Free State. In November 2012 WoF attended to 119734 Ha fire at Koopmansfontein where use was made of the Free State and Northern Cape teams with one chopper and one spotter.
“The prospects for the 2013 fire season vary from fair in parts to very bad in others. Parts of the province are experiencing severe drought and are tinder dry thus vulnerable to possible serious run away fires. Due to high fuel load and dry winds we are expecting more fire dangers and hence we want to intensify the awareness campaigns by working with municipalities and the government departments”, Silevu said.
He also cautioned people to be extra careful when starting fires, as a fire can be a friend, to keep the night chill away, to cook a meal but an uncontrolled fire can be the worst foe destroying anything and everything in its path. It causes destruction of things we hold dear, from, people, homes, and pets to our environment and planet.
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