The City of Tshwane has issued a notice to residents cautioning against prescribed burns between 01 August until the end of September 2024.
The notice is applicable to all residents of the City.
The City said landowners must apply for permission from the City, for any and all controlled burns.
Approval will then be based on warnings from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), fire danger index, and inspections conducted by the Fire Protection Officer.
Veldfires in the City have shot up by 73% between June and July this year(2024) alone.
This week the City pleaded with fire protection associations within the jurisdiction of Tshwane, to comply with the National Veld and Forestry Act (NVFFA) of 1998 and fire brigade bylaws.
Lindsay Mnguni, Public Information and Liaison for the City of Tshwane said “the fire season is rampant during the dry Winter months in Gauteng, hence the no- burn- period.”
Mnguni said “Fire Protection Associations (FPA) are voluntary associations, which may be formed by landowners to prevent, predict, identify the fire risk, manage and extinguish veld fires. Wherever an FPA is formed, state and Municipal landowners in the vicinity are compelled to join in. This ensures that all major roleplayers are involved in efforts to prevent and manage veldfires.”
Above: Fire danger index provided by the City and contact details for applications.