FIRE SEASON
What you need to know about veld fires
This is one of our hardy annual topics . If you own a piece of land with anything flammable growing on it you need to be aware of your responsibilities in relation to fire prevention and disaster management . Because this topic is of such importance in a dry province such as Gauteng at this time of year we have covered it extensively over the years , and all the information is available on our website for free download ( and is also available in our 2014- published Smallholder ' s Companion book , a few copies of which are still available for purchase ). Rather than reinvent the wheel each year , therefore , here is a summary of what
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you need to know , and what you need to do , firstly , to prevent fires from starting on your property and , secondly , to fight them if they do , and the equipment you will need with which to fight fires . What you need to know The law pertaining to veld fires is contained in the National Veld & Forest Fire Act , No 101 of 1998 and its
amendments . Laws such as this one are contained in Government Gazettes which can be accessed through a number of sources , including the government department concerned , or at http :// www . - sasmallholder . co . za / act101- . pdf . In brief , the act lays out the rights and responsibilities of a landowner or occupier with regard to fire prevention and firefighting , and the recourse an affected individual has if his property is destroyed by fire . It is a law with teeth , and it has been applied , to the chagrin of those who have found themselves on its wrong side . You can find a summary of its details and requirements at http :// www . sasmallholder . co . z a / apr9veldfire . rtf . There are other aspects of fire management which are not directly covered by the act , but which affect you as a landowner . Read why it is good practice to clear your verges at http :// www . - sasmallholder . co . za / apr9- verges . rtf . And why it is so important to protect your infrastructure , eg plastic piping and galvanised fence wiring at http :// www . - sasmallholder . co . za / apr9firefence . rtf . What you need to do : ❑ To prevent fires . This takes two forms and the time to do it has already started . Firstly , you need to remove as much flammable material as possible from your fields , verges etc . This means cutting , raking and baling the cuttings , as well as brushcutting around fence posts , and along fence lines , and near piping etc . Secondly , you need to have some mechanism in place to prevent ANY fire from spreading from your property to a neighbour ' s . This means
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