MBOMBELA – Fires which ravaged 2 500 hectares of land, have been contained. This is according to the Lowveld Escarpment Fire Protection Association’s (Lefpa), Mr Andre Scheepers.
“The fire is under control. It is not spreading anymore, we are no longer fighting it from the air or Swaziland,” said Scheepers.
“Our main priority was to save the lives of the people in the surrounding communities and towns,” said general manager of Working on Fire (WoF), Mr Martin Bolton.
According to Bolton, Lefpa dispatched six WoF teams, which comprised 100 firefighters.
“WoF is committed to safety. It was our priority to contain this fire before it spread any further. We had three teams on the fire line from Injaka, Salique and Barberton WoF bases.
“The other three teams from Mbombela, Graskop and Wilgeboom bases were at the staging area as they battled the fire day and night,” said Bolton.
WoF’s secret to success was the exceptional teamwork between its ground teams and the aerial support. Bolton said Lefpa had dispatched one spotter aircraft, two 802 air tractor bombers and one Huey helicopter, to assist the WoF ground teams on the fire line.
A Sabie resident said there had been massive fires alongside the Graskop, Hazyview and White River roads for stretches as long as 2o kilometres.
“Between Monday and Tuesday, our firefighters were on the fire line of nine fires in the area,” Bolton concluded
*Correction: Lowvelder previously reported that Kishugu Working on Fire had dispatched aircraft and ground teams. It was in fact Lefpa.
Read related articles here:
UPDATE : Locals warned to avoid R536 due to forest fire
