Bush fires rage in Pilanesberg
Bush fires rage inPilanesberg
22 March 2007
published by iafrica.com
South Afric — About 250 000 hectares of bush have been razed by fires that have been burning in the Pilanesberg area of the North West for the past six days, Working on Fire (WOF) said on Thursday.
More than 120 local farmers, farm workers and residents and eight fire engines from nearby towns were currently fighting the fire, said WOF’s Evelyn John Holtzhausen.
Teams of wildfire fighters from Gauteng trained by WOF had been called to help. WOF had dispatched a spotter aircraft to direct fire fighters from the air. A command centre would also be set up to co-ordinate fire-fighting teams in the area.
Sixteen young elephants were burnt in a veld fire which swept through the Pilanesberg National Park in September 2005. Four elephants had to be put down because of the severity of their injuries. About 6000 hectares were destroyed in that fire.
