Tzaneen: Fire danger index increased
The Fire Danger Index (FDI) in Tzaneen has increased from only six Orange days in 2016/2017 to 25 Orange days in 2018/2019 according to statistics by the Letaba Fire Protection Association (LFPA).
The FDI is a system that is used to provide a measure of the relative seriousness of burning conditions and threat of fire. The National Fire Danger Rating is based on the Lowveld Model and has been approved as the official South African veldfire danger rating system.
Read: Fire leaves shack dwellers homeless outside Tzaneen
The LFPA has appointed a Geographic Information System (GIS) intern specialist through the W&RSETA programme, Singo Mukhove, who is capturing all their statistics.
According to those statistics, there was 523 controlled burns which amounted to 1 523hafrom June to the end of July in comparison with 33 uncontrolled fires amounting to 25ha lost.
Aerial resources have cost landowners R350 000 thus far and the aircraft has flown 16.8 hours since the beginning of the season and used 118 litres of fire suppressant chemicals on the fire.
The fire prohibition started on 1 August and no open fires are allowed until 31 October.
There are nine active fire towers in the area during the fire season which is manned by private companies.
The LFPA urges landowners to inform them of all and any fires no matter how small. Contact the office at 076 550 2260/076 549 5466.
