Farmers are urged to make certain that fire-fighting equipment is easily accessible and in working condition, create firebreaks, participate in local fire protection association activities
A fire management plan for a property should identify:
In Africa, where lightning is common and people have used veld fires for thousands of years to improve the quality of their grazing, veld fires have a long history. Veld fires are also a controversial issue, however, and have been banned totally in some countries. The truth is that veld fires can be a useful veld management practice, but under the wrong conditions can also cause great damage to the veld. Veld fires are a good servant, but a bad master.
Veld is mainly burned for two reasons:
This is not only determined by the correct season of the year, but also by the amount of available combustible material. The right time of the year to burn is probably as close as possible to the first spring rains. By burning earlier in the year, the burned veld is exposed to cold and late winter winds, which can remove valuable nutrients in the form of ash. In addition, the stimulated grasses are weakened by having to rely on their reserves in order to survive without water for long periods. This is particularly the case if the veld is used as pasture. In both cases the presence of a dense stand of perennial grasses is important. By burning veld that is in a poor condition, the condition of the veld will deteriorate even further.
When burning to combat bush encroachment, it is important to have a good stand of dry grass beneath the shrub to generate a hot fire.
It is advisable not to burn the veld under the following conditions:
A fire that burns in the direction of the wind is generally preferred. When burning to remove declining veld, a “cool” fire is required. This can be obtained by burning on a cool day with no wind. The cooler the fire, the less damage is caused to dormant grass plants. When burning to control bush encroachment, a “hot fire” is required. This can be achieved by burning on a hot day with a low humidity. A hot fire on a windy day will cause the bush to be burned right up to the crown, but with minimal burning at ground level.
Source: Guide to Grasses of South Africa. Frits van Oudtshoorn. Contact him at info [at] alut.co.za (find further ALUT details under the "Role players" heading)
The following are merely helpful points taken from the Act and are in no way meant to be the final word on it. It is the landowner’s responsibility to prepare firebreaks and have the correct equipment and trained personnel to prevent the spread of fires. This is made very clear in Act 101 of 1998. The act is available on www.firestop.co.za.
Landowners must prepare and maintain firebreaks on their side of the boundary or fence as well as any adjoining land.
The Landowner must obtain permission and determine a mutually agreeable date/s with owners of adjoining properties, and inform the fire protection association for the area, if any.
If no agreement can be reached on dates, the Landowner must give the owners of adjoining properties as well as the fire protection association in the area (if any) at least 14 days written notice of the intended day/s when the Landowner intends burning firebreaks.
An owner of adjoining land who has agreed on a day or who receives a notice must-
An owner may not burn a firebreak, despite having complied with subsection (2) of the Act, if the fire protection association objects to the proposed burning; or a warning has been published because the fire danger is high in the region; or the conditions are not conducive to the burning of firebreaks.
The owner must inform the owners of adjoining land and the fire protection association-
It is not necessary for the owner to give 14 days notice of the additional days.
Owners of adjoining land may agree to position a common firebreak away from the boundary.
Should an owner intend to be absent for a period longer than 14 days during the period or part of any period in which burning normally takes place, he or she must give all owners of adjoining land an address and telephone number, if any, at which he or she may be contacted.
If an owner of adjoining land (i) is not present on the agreed or notified day or days; or (ii) has not given an address and telephone number, if any, as required in subsection (8), the owner may proceed with the burning in his or her absence.
An owner is obliged to prepare and maintain a firebreak with due regard to the weather, climate, terrain and vegetation, and must ensure that it is wide enough and long enough to have a reasonable chance of preventing a veldfire from spreading to or from neighbouring land; it does not cause soil erosion; and it is reasonably free of inflammable material capable of carrying a veldfire across it.
Source: Agricultural Employers Organisation (LWO). Contact them at 0861 10 18 28 or visit www.lwo.co.za.
Find the free download of the easy-to-understand booklet You, wildfires and the law. See the “Websites & publications” heading for other material.
What are the legal duties regarding fire suppression?
Find the guidelines on Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) on www.workingonfire.org and www.firestop.co.za. There is also useful information at http://landworksnpc.com
The formation of voluntary Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) is one way to prevent, combat and manage fires throughout the country. FPAs are envisaged to provide the overarching, co-ordinated support in provinces – aerial fire-fighting support, rapid attack teams, fire weather services, and co-ordination of fire records and training. Members are drawn from local communities and authorities, farmers, residents, landowners, nature conservation, municipal fire services and so on.
Through the FPA, farmers (and others) can pool their resources and jointly develop and implement veldfire management strategies for their areas. They can develop enforceable rules that protect all members and request advice and assistance from the State-employed chief fire-protection officer. This saves costs, protects you in terms of any compliance your insurer might require and enhances the protection of properties from veldfires.
Included in a FPA’s legal duties are the following. The FPA is to:
It is important that your FPA has the following information about your property:
Further reference:
Associations & NGOs
Government
Training and research
