Blazing high cost of fires
2003-09-03 23:13
Nelspruit - Forestry and related industries could suffer an eventual loss of R2.8bn from the devastating fires that swept through Mpumalanga in the last two weeks.
About 21 000ha of plantations were destroyed out of a total area of 41 000ha which burned down. The loss from saplings alone is between R200m and R300m, said Mondi regional manager Tim Sidey on Wednesday.
Sidey did a presentation to Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi on behalf of the forestry industry when he visited the area. Mufamadi had previously declared the Lowveld in Mpumalanga a disaster area.
The fires destroyed about 11 000ha of pine plantations and at least 10 000ha of bluegum plantations.
Over 1 000 people who worked virtually round the clock to fight the giant fires emerged the heroes. The firefighting operation is regarded a perfect example of how government and private sector can work together during a crisis. More than 70 firefighters from municipalities in Gauteng were to
sent to Mpumalanga.
Mufamadi and his delegation saw much of the devastation from the air. They visited Mondi's gutted Ramanas sawmills, where a purchase agreement was recently reached with black empowerment consortium Vuka Alliance.
Winds of up to 80km/h drove the flames to the sawmills. About 160 people in the immediate vicinity were hastily evacuated to a nearby soccer field. No one was injured, but the mill burned down within an hour, said Sidey.
Mufamadi said he was awaiting a comprehensive damage assessment before the government's role in further assistance would be discussed by stakeholders.