The fire season ends……but the hazards remain

OFFICIALLY the 2014 fire season comes to an end on October 31, but in Vryheid’s case, the paltry rainfall so far this spring means that there is still a risk of runaway fires.

Up to Monday this week, Vryheid had received only 19.8mm this October (measured at Vryheid airfield) – there is some new growth but there is also a lot of old fuel remaining in the fields and forests.

The fire season just gone had no more fires than in previous years but according to Fire Prevention Officer Steven Hibbert, “When it did burn it burnt bad”. This year there were more hectares of grazing and plantations lost – as much as 14,000ha, although no livestock losses were reported by Fire Prevention Association (FPA) members.

The causes of the fires are largely attributed to arson, and there were three started by lightning strikes, one attributed to honey gatherers smoking out bees, and the remainder to carelessness and illegal or irregular burning.

Mr Hibbert expressed his thanks to all the FPA members for their support and contribution to a safe fire season, and especially thanked “the 60% of the members who’ climb in’, and certain people who always turn up at fires to assist.” He said “We hope for more rain, and the FPA wishes all its members a good growing season”.

He requested landowners to continue to exercise caution, saying that while the fire season might be over, some of the risks still remain.