50ha burnt down around Tzaneen
Approximately 50 hectares of wild-bush was destroyed in three separate wildfires in Tzaneen on September 2 & 3.
In Agatha about 20 hectares burnt down on Sunday. A house on the ABQ road in Agatha had extensive damage after the thatch roof caught fire.
On Monday a fire ensued at Mooiplaas. According to the Letaba Fire Protection Association (LFPA), thick bush at the back of Kgapane hospital caught fire. “Approximately ten hectares burn down around the informal insettlement.
The wind was a big challenge in containing the fire as it was blowing at 35km/ph with temperatures at 37 degrees in Kgapane,” Maritza Swanepoel from the Letaba Fire Protection Association (LFPA) told the HERALD.
Resources were requested at 12:09 and stood down at 13:47. Two Bell Huey helicopters and one spotter aeroplane as well as the LFPA emergency vehicle were mobilised.
Radio communication was a huge problem on this occassion according to Swanepoel.
On Tuesday morning at the time of going to press the fires were still not contained. Another fire on Monday was at Kruger Berries in the Deerpark area.
Resources were activated at 15:01 and stood down 16:30. Resources utilised at this fire were one chopper and one spotter and the LFPA emergency vehicle. About 20 hectares of wild-bush were destroyed with temperatures of 37 degrees in the area.
The pilots on the Triangle Fire were Herman Boersma in the spotter aircraft with Johann Pretorius and Julian Moller in the two helicopters. Pilots at the Kruger Berries fire were Julian Moller in the helicopter and Louw van der Merwe in the spotter.
