Coming cold fronts a fire threat in the Free State

The cold front and accompanying stormy winds expected over the Free State from Wednesday (21 August) poses a serious veld fire threat, and farmers and landowners are warned to remain vigilant, said Thinus Steenkamp, CEO of the Free State Umbrella Fire Association.

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He also said landowners must see to it that their farms were not left unattended, especially over weekends.

“Our work is seriously hampered by landowners who leave their farms unattended. We’ve often arrived on burning farms where we could not gain access to water points or the homestead because of locked gates. It also often happens that personnel have to spend valuable time moving livestock out of harm’s way instead of fighting fires,” said Steenkamp.

“It is a misdemeanour in terms of the Fire Act to leave a farm unattended during the veld fire season. Landowners are also compelled by law to report any veld fires on their land to the local Fire Protection Officers and the Fire Protection Association.”

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Some 55 000ha grazing have been destroyed by veld fires in the Free State so far this fire season. This is considerably less than the 175 000ha recorded during the same time last year, according to Malcolm Procter, the agriculture department’s deputy director: forest and veld fire in Bloemfontein.

“We’ve been spared serious cold fronts so far this season, but I’m afraid the worst is yet to come,” he said.

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