According to Lefpa manager, Mr André Scheepers, the association facilitated firebreaks in the wetlands in the areas close to residents Mediclinic Nelspruit, Town Lodge and City Lodge. “Nelspruit Concerned Citizens assisted us,” he said and added that employees of Working on Fire were among those conducting the firebreaks.
Six days ago raging fires affected both Mataffin and Hermansburg.
Also read: A high risk of fires in the Lowveld area
Mbombela’s neighbouring town, White River, was also affected. Nelspruit Post was present when a fire, which apparently started in a nearby sugar-cane farm in Mataffin, spread onto the riding club’s property. According to Scheepers, the Lefpa teams managed to beat the fire to a controlled level without the support of a water tanker.
Scheepers said they deployed ground teams to help with the fires near Hermansburg and Uplands College in White River. “We sent aerial firefighting crews to the area close to Uplands, too,” he said.
Most of the plantations around the school were destroyed. According to Scheepers, the teams succeeded in containing the three blazes.
He advised the public to stay away from areas where fires are out of control.
“It is not just for their safety, but also to allow our firefighters to reach the areas where fires need to be controlled,” he concluded.
According to Scheepers, a drone was spotted in the airspace of the planes that assisted in the firefighting at Uplands. He stressed that this put aerial firefighters at risk.
“Our airplanes fly low. If drone users are in its airspace, the risks of drones and planes colliding, is there.”
As many locals seem to be unaware of the laws and regulations governing drone usage, this publication compiled a list of dos and don’ts when dealing with drones:
If you use your drone for private purposes without any commercial outcome, interest or gain, it does not have to be registered. However, it must be operated in a way that does not contravene any of the regulations set out below.
If you use it for anything other than a private purpose, your aircraft must be registered.
Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems
Regulations dictate that you must obtain the following:
• A remote pilot’s licence
• A restricted radio licence
• RPAS letter of approval
• A remote operator certificate (valid for 12 months)
• An air-service licence
• Your drone must be registered with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
• Your drone must be approved for night flying and equipped with strobe and navigation lights if you fly at night.
• A drone operator’s specifications list which listed approvals are relevant to the specific operator. For example, he may be authorised to operate his drone closer than 50 metres from people, buildings or roads or closer than 10 kilometres from airports.
• The drone must be equipped with a transponder and special approval from the SACAA to fly in controlled airspace.
• You must have a handheld fire extinguisher and a first aid kit when operating your drone.
The following rules also apply to toy-aircraft owners:
• Do not fly or operate a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or toy aircraft 50 metres or closer from a person. If you move within
50 metres from a property, obtain the owner’s consent beforehand
• If you have not obtained the SACAA’s approval, do not fly or operate an RPA near manned aircraft or in controlled, restricted or prohibited airspace
• Do not fly or operate the said aircraft within 10 kilometres of a airport, helipad or airfield or carry a load exceeding seven kilograms without the SACAA’s permission
• Do not fly or operate an RAP or toy aircraft more than 150 feet from the ground if it has not been approved by the director of civil aviation of the SACAA.
Lastly, being safe rather than sorry may prevent drone users from becoming criminally and civilly liable.
If your drone is at the wrong place at the wrong time and damages an aircraft, you may be liable for damages and, if the pilot is injured or killed, liable in terms of criminal law and charged with culpable homicide or murder. Readers are advised to be safe rather than sorry.
