Residents in Tshwane have been urged to take heed of fire restrictions because of the no-burn period that runs from August 1 and September 30.
City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department spokesperson, Lindsay Mnguni, said all individuals, organisations and landowners within the metro’s boundaries were barred from burning during this period.
He said the prohibition to burn was because the season was considered a higher risk period because of the windy conditions.
“To conduct any burning in Tshwane, landowners must apply for a permit with the Emergency Services Department. Approval for burning will be contingent upon several factors, including the Fire Danger Index, South African Weather Service warnings and the outcome of inspections conducted by the fire protection officer,” Mnguni said.
The application for permission to burn can be emailed to [email protected] or physically handed in at the fire safety section at Bosman Fire Station, at the corner of Minnaar and Bosman streets.
The department warned against unattended fires made by people that could pose a danger to the environment and potentially kill animals and people.
People are prohibited to make an open, uncontrollable or unattended fire within a particular area in keeping with the city’s fire brigade service by-law.
The department also banned fires posing a real or potentially real threat to any human being, animal, building, premises or other property.
The warning was made following the recent wildfires at Rietfontein near Delmas and Leeuwfontein near Cullinan that swept across some farmlands threatening to destroy horses and other animals.
Two plots in Rietfontein were destroyed by fire, including an unoccupied 10-room thatched roof house in Leeuwfontein.
Firefighters joined hands with the community to fight off wildfires and put out the blaze.
Multiple animals were uninjured as they were moved across onto properties where firebreaks were made.
Mnguni said: “It is common cause that lives are often lost as a result of veld, forest, and mountain fires, with rural people suffering enormous damage to their livestock and homesteads during fire season. Fire season is especially rampant during the dry winter months in the Gauteng Province. Large scale losses to the forestry industry are also incurred regularly. Dangerous and destructive fire incidents remain an existential threat throughout the year.”
Pretoria News