Prohibition – No burning of veld or fire breaks without permits from 1 June
The Highveld East Fire Protection Association (HEFPA) have issued a prohibition notice regarding making fires.
Fires have been raging out of control over the past few years when irresponsible fires were started. The damage to livestock and grazing amounted to millions of Rands.
Please follow the guidelines carefully and diligently.
Here is the full notice
BURNING PROHIBITION NOTICE 2023
IN TERMS OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE NATIONAL VELD AND FOREST FIRE ACT 101 OF 1998,
the Highveld East Fire Protection Association (HEFPA), duly registered as the fire protection association in the Govan Mbeki Municipal area (MP307), hereby declares a period of extraordinary fire hazard within its boundaries and therefore directs:
- That no person shall from Monday, 01 June 2023 make an open fire in open air, allow it to continue to burn or add additional fuel thereto, otherwise than –
- Fires made within a demarcated picnic or camping area or caravan park, or holiday resorts, but only at places within such an area which have been specifically prepared and maintained for that purpose; provided that such fires are properly extinguished with water and/ or sand;
- Fires for the preparation of food on residential areas;
- Fires made on residential and industrial stands in proclaimed townships;
- Fires made for initiation school purposes, but only at places which have been specifically prepared and maintained for that purposes to prevent fires from spreading.
- Trees and plants
That no person shall from 01 June 2023 destroy by burning and slashing any timber plantation or self-sawn exotic trees or alien invasive plants.
- Burning of Firebreaks
That no person shall from 01 June 2023 2023 destroy by burning residue, cultivated crop fields or veld, clear or maintain a firebreak by burning;
- Provided that such fires may be made only on days when the average Fire Danger Index at 14:00 for the fire region is less than 60 and predicted wind below 10km/h for the period after 14:00.
- Burning permits shall only be valid from 16:00 on the day that it is issued for, and permits must be closed upon completion of the burn.
- Special permits for burning from 08:00 will only be issued when the requirements as specified in the Rules and Regulations are complied with.
- A burning permit must be obtained from HEFPA.
Also read: Rand Water takes action on outstanding debts
- Block burning
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA) (Act 43 of 1983)
Burning of Grassveld and planted residue (Block Burning) can be done under the following conditions:
- Block burn permits shall be made available from 15 July 2023
- Double width fire belt (20 metres or more) must be prepared around the planned block burn area before 7 July 2023
- Permit must be obtained from HEFPA
- Acceptable fire fighting equipment must be present as per the minimum standards and requirements of HEFPA
- Maximum FDI prediction of 59 or less must be forecast for the day when the burn is planned
- THE FDI prediction for the following day at 14:00 may not exceed 55.
- Rules and Regulations
All permitted fires must comply to the HEFPA Rules and Regulations Revision 3.
- Fines and Penalties
Offences and penalties as specified in Sections 24 and 25 of the Act shall be subject to a minimum fine of R5000 (five thousand rand) as approved by the Acting Chief Magistrate, Mpumalanga.
It is further recommended that grazing veld should only be burnt on rotation every 3 years.
More details can be obtained from:
Gert Kühn, Chairperson, HEFPA, 082 084 6921
and
Shelly Shabalala, Fire Protection Officer, 082 742 3847
