Agriculture
Working on Fire extinguishes 16 fires in June─── 15:22 Mon, 06 Jul 2015
Bloemfontein - Regional Working on Fire (WoF) teams extinguished 16 veld fires across Free State and Northern Cape during the first month of what experts are warning is likely to be a tough fire season.
According to a statement, the final week of June saw six fires extinguished at Harrismith, Boshof, Clocolan and Marquard.
WoF says the 16 fires this year were a lot less than the 46 fires suppressed in June 2014, which was the worst winter fire season in seven years.
Of concern, though, is that fire season got underway much earlier this year with teams putting out 14 fires in May.
WoF says many specialists expect there will be an increased risk of veld and forest fires that this year due to the long-term weather forecast.
General Manager of the Free State Umbrella Body for Fire Protection Associations, Thinus Steenkamp, has meanwhile told OFM News that the ban on the burning of firebreaks comes into effect at the end of July. He also urges land owners to refer to the daily Fire Danger Index before attempting any type of controlled burn.
Statement and OFM News
