Veld fires near Sabie contained after two-day operation

After a two-day battle, firefighters successfully contained a veld fire that broke out along the R536 between Sabie and Hazyview in the early hours of Saturday, August 23.

The fire ravaged several hectares of plantation, including gum and pine trees, and required a co-ordinated response involving water bombers, helicopters and firefighting trucks.

The Lowveld and Escarpment Fire Protection Association’s (Lefpa) general manager, André Scheepers, confirmed that the fire had been brought under control.

The affected area that included plantations owned by the South African Forestry Company Limited (Safcol), sustained significant damage.

Safcol’s spokesperson, Nokuthula Makaringa, said the company is currently assessing the full extent of the damage, but preliminary estimates suggest about 10ha of their land was affected.

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The cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is believed to have originated near an industrial area in Sabie.

Scheepers warned that the current fire risk remains extremely high due to hot, dry and windy conditions predicted for the rest of August by the South African Weather Service. He urged the public to be vigilant and refrain from starting any fires.

Lefpa will be strictly enforcing fire regulations, and all previously planned burning operations should have been completed by August 1.

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In future, only special burning permits will be issued upon request.

The public is advised that if they do start a fire, they must monitor the area until it is completely contained.

Scheepers added that monitoring and mopping-up operations will continue in the affected areas to prevent any flare-ups.