Photo: Johann Breytenbach
Fire officials in the Free State expressed hope that the forecast of rain for the weekend could bring some relief for those battling fires across the province, which had already claimed one life.
General manager of the Free State Umbrella Body for Fire Protection Associations, Johann Breytenbach, said although the fire season had not been as long or intense as in other years, there had still been serious damage and injuries over the past few weeks.
It had been reported that Dian Terblanche, a matric pupil from Reitz, who had sustained burn wounds across 85% of his body while helping contain a blaze that had originated in the Petrus Steyn area, had died in a hospital in Gauteng, he said.
Breytenbach said nearly 25 000ha had been destroyed by wildfires over the past few weeks near Koppies, Virginia, Vredefort, Heilbron, Petrus Steyn, Reitz and Tweeling. The fire near Tweeling raged for several days and was reignited on more than one occasion by strong winds.
Breytenbach said that by Monday, the fire was approaching the N3 highway near Warden, and was burning 36km from its point of origin. The cause was yet to be determined.
