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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