Forestry Warns Of �Disastrous� Veldt Fires

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday August 14, 2017 15:53

 

Gabagomotse Mafoko, acting deputy director of the department said the fire season is anticipated to have high risk of uncontrollable firebreaks due to heavy rains experienced early this year.

“We want to avoid a re-occurrence of the 2008 scenario where we lost 13 people, five of which were fire fighters. It could get worse this year.

The fuel load out there is too much. We are into a year that is likely to be more disastrous,” said Mafoko when briefing the press on Friday.

He said following the heavy rains experienced this year, which led to high production of grass and tree leaves, wild land fires will be a major challenge in forest and range resources management. He said there have been a few firebreaks already this year. However, Mafoko highlighted the preparedness of the department to deal with possible firebreaks this term.

“We have deployed fire fighting teams to strategic fire prone areas throughout the country. The fire fighting teams are mobilised to swiftly respond to active fires and undertake a suppression in collaboration with various stakeholders,” he added.

He also stated that they have increased the number of teams to be deployed to 16 fire suppression base camps, each consisting of 25 people.

He further said the department has acquired 11 troop carriers, which carry 16 fire fighters and 2,000 litres of portable water. Through their collaboration with Australia (New South Wales Rural Fire Service), he said, the department has managed to acquire six fire engines.

“Through this collaboration, we have trained over 5,000 community fire first responders. They include public servants. They are given fire beaters for fire suppression,” he said.

Furthermore, Mafoko pointed out that fire management and control is very expensive. He said they have budgeted P17 million for this fire season, but would need P34 million.

“It is not enough. We need double that money to manage the situation,” Mafoko said. Consequently, the department has warned people against the use of open fires during the harvesting of veldt products, especially thatching grass or during hunting. The department also encouraged farmers and members of the public to be careful this fire season. are also overwhelmed with squatters and cases of corruption that need to be attended to,” Bashingi said.