TZANEEN – Peanut growers preparing their lands for the upcoming summer planting season are being urged to take extra precautions when using controlled burning to clear vegetation.

The Letaba Fire Protection Association (FPA) Fire Awareness Team has returned to Adams Farm for the second consecutive year as part of its peanut grower awareness campaign, aimed at reducing the risk of uncontrolled veldfires during land preparation.

The campaign brings together farmers, fire-management officials and municipal emergency services to promote safer burning practices and encourage growers to plan carefully before setting fires.

Tzaneen fire services join the drive

This year, the Letaba FPA team was joined by the Greater Tzaneen Municipality and the Tzaneen Fire Brigade, strengthening cooperation between agricultural communities and local fire services.

The campaign’s central message is that preparation must come before burning.

Permits and planning key to safe burns

Farmers intending to conduct controlled burns are encouraged to obtain the appropriate special burning permit and ensure they understand and comply with all applicable requirements. They are also urged to monitor weather and fire-danger conditions carefully and to proceed only when conditions are considered safe.

Coordination with the Letaba FPA is another key component of the initiative, allowing fire-management teams to be aware of planned burns and ensuring assistance can be mobilised should conditions change or a fire escape containment.

Last year’s campaign cut veldfires

The renewed campaign follows encouraging results from last year’s initiative. According to the Letaba FPA, the collaborative approach contributed to a significant reduction in uncontrolled veldfires linked to peanut-land preparation.

The improvement demonstrates the value of cooperation between farmers, fire-protection organisations and municipal fire services, particularly during periods when dry vegetation, wind and other environmental factors can cause fires to spread rapidly.

Officials say the objective is not to prevent farmers from managing their land or using fire where appropriate, but to ensure agricultural burning is carefully planned, legally compliant and conducted with sufficient precautions.

Escaped fires threaten wider community

An escaped fire can quickly spread beyond a cultivated field, threatening neighbouring farms, plantations, homes, livestock, wildlife and other agricultural assets.

As growers prepare for the new season, the Letaba FPA is encouraging farmers to make fire safety part of their planting preparations.

Through responsible burning, communication and cooperation, farmers and emergency services can help protect livelihoods while preparing agricultural land safely for the season ahead.