Fire season underway
WoF also has some helpful tips if you are unfortunate enough to be caught in a veld fire.
With the fire season underway it is important to prevent fires before they start.
“We are expecting a hectic fire season this year,” Mr Louis Kotzé of the Lekwa Fire Prevention Association said.
According to Working on Fire (WoF) most veld fires are started by careless people.
All fires start small, but when the weather is hot, dry and windy a small fire can quickly become a threat to life and property.
WoF is a government-funded, job-creation programme focusing on integrated fire management in South Africa.
Here are a few useful tips on how to prevent a veld fire near your home.
• Get rid of hot ash and coal from heating and cooking in a safe place where there is no plant material that can catch alight.
• Cover an open fire with sand to smother it.
• Always work in an open, cleared area when working with power tools.
Power tools like angle grinders, welders and chainsaws make sparks which can ignite the surrounding veld.
• Make sure there are no illegal electrical connections near your home and that electrical appliances are correctly wired.
Illegal and faulty electrical connections can get hot and start to burn.
• Keep the area around your home clear of material that can burn, such as firewood, kindling and garbage.
Do not burn garbage on a hot and windy day, as the fire can easily spread and cause a veld fire, nor play with matches or leave an open fire unattended.
WoF also has some helpful tips if you are unfortunate enough to be caught in a veld fire.
Get your copy of the Standerton Advertiser to read these tips.
