Fires still raging across SA
2008-09-09 21:05
Johannesburg - Thirteen fires are still raging across Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape on Tuesday, Working on Fire (WoF) said.
There are currently five fires in Mpumalanga, one in Limpopo, six in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Eastern Cape.
"Firefighters are still trying to get those two fires under control and all resources have been dispatched," said WoF's Val Charlton.
A total of five fires were burning in Limpopo and Mpumalanga and there were another four fires in the Eastern Cape, she said.
According to WoF, Wednesday is expected to be the last day of the dry weather conducive to veld fires.
"The fire danger index for all areas remain high orange and red with red flags flying for high humidity in the three affected provinces."
Charlton said firefighters were working 12 hour shifts in each province to contain the fires.
"No industry can continuously be hit hard by ongoing fire, it takes its toll eventually, said WoF programme manager Fred Mokgope.
"South Africans must be responsible with fire when moving through forestry areas," he said.
In Limpopo, several fires were raging in the heat-wave stricken Magoebaskloof area.
Pilot Grant Morrison spent four hours dropping water on timber plantations near Haenertsburg before heading for another fire in the Dap Naude area.
Government meeting
Firefighting services in Pietermaritzburg have fought 165 fires in the first nine days of September alone.
Local government spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said the provincial cabinet would meet on Wednesday to receive a detailed assessment of the fires which ravaged the uThungulu district two weeks ago.
The KwaZulu-Natal health department reported last week that 34 people had died in fires.
On Monday, all controlled burning of agricultural land in three provinces hit by veld fires was banned because of worsening weather conditions.
"All controlled burning of agricultural land in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo is banned due to very dangerous, out-of-control wildfires," said Simon Thomas, operations manager for the KwaZulu-Natal Fire Protection Association.
He said the reduction of fuel loads in burning agricultural land would reduce wildfires.
Free State agriculture MEC Mamiki Qhabathe, gave farmers affected by recent veld fires bales of fodder over the weekend.
- SAPA