This comes as the same body and the Free State Provincial Wildlife Advisory issued fire warnings for the province on Thursday.

General Manager of the Free State Umbrella Body for Fire Protection Associations, Johann Breytenbach, tells OFM News they have noted some small fires in the province since the warning was issued on Thursday, but most of them ended up being controlled.

He cautions however, that this doesn’t mean residents in the area should be complacent.

He says under the types of weather conditions being experienced in the Free State this weekend, a veld fire can spread very fast and get out of control very quickly. He says, however, “not every fire, is necessarily a huge fire, but they all have the potential to become one”.

He says their association will via social media platforms alert the public should there be a fire that cannot be subdued.

The Fire Danger Index for Saturday and Sunday were set at 83 and 92 respectively. The province has been experiencing, hot dry and windy conditions since Thursday. This warning will continue into Monday.

Residents are being urged to be vigilant and refrain from starting open fires during this period, expect for in specially designated fireplaces. Hot work and machinery in open areas should also be kept to a minimum during this period.

Meanwhile, the OFM News team received a report of a veld fire near a farm named Marlin along the N6.

OFM News