The Bulletin News

That no person shall from Thursday, 06 May 2021 make an open fire in open air, allow it to continue to burn or add additional fuel to it

It is the time of year when the grass is drying out and a lot of fires are started. These fires sometimes spread to the surrounding veld resulting in loss of grazing, crops and even livestock.

There are strict laws regulating to fires in the open and fires on farms etc. The Highveld East Fire Protection Association (HEFPA) issued a prohibition notice regarding fires.

Here is the full notice:

BURNING PROHIBITION NOTICE 2021

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, hereby declares a period of extraordinary fire hazard within its boundaries and therefore directs:

1. That no person shall from Thursday, 06 May 2021 make an open fire in the open air, allow it to continue to burn or add additional fuel thereto, other 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 in residential areas;
   • Fires made on residential and industrial stands in proclaimed townships;
   • Fires made for initiation school purposes, but only at places that have been specifically prepared and maintained for that purposes to prevent fires from spreading.
2. That no person shall from 06 May 2021 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 06 May 2021 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.

Also read: Application For Environmental Authorisation – Emzinoni

A burning permit must be obtained from HEFPA.

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 2021
  • Double width fire belt (20 metres or more) must be prepared around the planned block burn area before 7 June 2021
  • The 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.

It is further recommended that grazing veld should only be burnt on rotation every 3 years.

Any enquiries can be directed to the Chairperson, HEFPA, Gert Kühn at 0820846921.

The act can be accessed HERE