WoF press
Working on Fire
Press Release
1 September 2008
published by Working on Fire Programme
South Africa — Veld fire situational report as at 21h00 1/9/08 UPDATES IN CAPITALS
NB. This reflects only the incidents that are known to Working on Fire and is not a complete overview of the country sitrep.
Injuries : Mpumalanga 23 burn wounds, mostly civilians, no WOF personnel.
Deaths ; Mpumalanga 3 civilians
Deaths : KZN 8 .- 7 civilians and 1 non WoF bomber pilot. MEDIA REPORTS HIGHER BUT WOF CANNOT CONFIRM
Mpumalanga: 14 new fires today. 9 ARE ONGOING AS AT 19H00
KZN : 3 new fires today ESHOWE?, VRYHEID X 2. DARGLE STOOD UP BUT NOW CONTAINED. MELMOTH ONGOING
LIMPOPO: 2 FIRES, TZANEEN 2 X SANDF ORYX ASSISTING WITH EVACUATIONS AT LIBOII[ SP] , HAENESBERG, ON RANDFONTIEN RD IN DIFFICULT TERRAIN, FIRE UNATTENDED. [ DECISION TO LEAVE]
EC : LANGENI CONTAINED. NEW FIRE KARREEDOUW IN FYNBOS, W CONDITION ORANGE, ONE CREW DEPLOYED.
SWAZILAND 2 FIRES OUT OF CONTROL.
Weather forecast : From Bloemfontein across to KZN/ Eastern Cape and northwards, the forecast is for Yellow/ Orange from tomorrow through to Saturday across the entire region. By Saturday Danger Index will move back up to Orange /Red. Currently, due to strong winds, some aerial operations are suspended. Caution should be taken when driving bad visibility, debris on the roads, strong winds.
AIRCRAFT STILL GROUNDED IN SOME AREAS DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY, WIND.
Total fires since the start of the weekend and estimated damages.
41 KZN 10,000 HA damaged NO UPDATE YET
49 Mpumalanga 22,000 HA burnt of which 13,000HA is forestry NO UPDATE YET
11 Free State 33,315 HA mostly grazing. Undetermined number of stock. INCREASED ESTIMATE
5 Gauteng – ? HA damaged.
2 EC – [ Langeni 3 days and ongoing in Timber 2000HA lost] NO UPDATE YET
1 NW – SAPS training centre at Thabazimbi. FIRE CONTAINED, CREW DEPLOYED TO MOP UP.
16 Limpopo – 1000HA lost NO UPDATE ON DAMAGES
Sawmills damaged/ destroyed.
2 MPU Piet Retief sawmill plus 10,000tons stacked timber,
Nelspruit Sawmill.
1 Limpopo Tzaneen.
Threatened – 4 sawmills at Louis Trichardt unconfirmed damage.
Damages KZN [ Unconfirmed] 30-40 rural settlement homes near Dargle, Racehorses/ Stables,
I house at Drakensberg Sun Hotel.
Livestock unestimated at this stage.
Working on Fire Firefighting Crews deployed at firelines: CREWS ROTATING SHIFTS.
13 crews Mpumalanga
3 crews Limpopo
4 crews Gauteng
13 crews KZN
3 crews EC.
Val Charlton
Advocacy Manager
Working on Fire
