Big fire danger in South Africa

While wildfires devastate regions worldwide, South African Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) warn that the country faces a worsening crisis due to alleged declining government support.

A report from the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) highlights the “unprecedented devastation” of veld fires in the semi-arid province in 2024.

The alarming statistics underscore the magnitude of the devastation:

• 189 fires were recorded in November alone, ravaging 25,822 hectares of land.
• 13,770 burn scars were identified throughout the 2024 Fire Season (January 1 – December 16).
• 424,172 hectares of land were destroyed from January 1 to December 16, 2024.
• The estimated economic loss of R3,032,829,800, including cumulative, latent, and unobserved costs.

These fires have ravaged agricultural lands, displaced communities, and raised serious concerns about food security in the region.

Preliminary assessments reported the deaths of animals, destruction of infrastructure and vehicles, and loss of human lives.

Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) in South Africa warn that the government is failing to provide adequate support.

FPAs, which are mandated by the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) to manage wildfire risks, struggle due to understaffed fire departments, limited resources, and mismanagement.

Eric Stoch, Chairman of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association (NWUFPA), described the situation as “a pressing national security crisis that threatens millions of South African lives and our country’s food security.”

Stoch, who was the founding chair of the NWUFPA and was re-elected in 2021, emphasised that fire behaviour has changed significantly.

He added that municipalities and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) are failing to support FPAs.

He pointed to fire departments being critically understaffed, underfunded, and lacking operational vehicles.

“In my opinion, there’s a lot of mismanagement in the disaster management sector in the North West,” he said.

“Leaving these essential resources to deteriorate in central storage facilities while communities face unprecedented fire risks… borders on criminal intent and demands immediate investigation.”

The DFFE has strongly denied these claims.

Delayed Responses Put Lives at Risk

The NWUFPA reports that fire departments are frequently unable to respond effectively. In July 2024, a farm worker died fighting a runaway fire in JB Marks Local Municipality.

“Our available resources were completely overwhelmed by the scale and number of fires. Despite our urgent requests for aid and assistance, our pleas were disregarded,” Stoch said.

He cited several cases where fire departments failed to act in time:

• In one instance, a village fire was ignored because officials claimed they only handled structural fires in town. A vehicle was eventually sent but arrived four hours later, when everything had already burned down.
• In Potchefstroom, the fire department asked the FPA to respond because they had no operational vehicles.
• In Lichtenburg, fire trucks arrived without water, leaving communities to fight the fires alone.

Stoch said these failures have created “a perfect storm” of increased fire risks, wasted public resources, and compromised disaster preparedness.

Government Defends Its Response

The DFFE has dismissed claims of negligence. Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts responded to criticisms, calling them “disingenuous”, stating that the DFFE operates as a regulatory authority rather than primary fire management.

“Any extensions to the fire season or increased local resources require collaboration between landowners, FPAs, local and provincial authorities, as DFFE’s resources are allocated equitably across the country,” Swarts said.

However, reports surfaced from the Sunday Times reported that a fleet of 278 heavy-duty fire trucks and crew buses once operated by Working on Fire have been left idle at depots around the country for up to two years.

While the DFFE insists these vehicles have been distributed to district municipalities, several municipalities claim they were unaware of any allocations.

Swarts stated that consultations with Provincial Disaster Management Centers (PDMCs) and District Municipalities are underway, and all vehicle transfers will be finalised.

NWUFPA Calls for Urgent Action

The NWUFPA is demanding immediate government intervention. Their requests include:

• A directive mandating all government departments, state-owned enterprises, and municipalities to pay membership fees to FPAs.
• The release of long-delayed funds is essential for fire prevention efforts.
• The direct allocation of fire vehicles to FPAs, instead of municipalities that may lack the capacity to manage them.
• Adoption of the Western Cape’s fire prevention model and stronger cross-border collaboration with Botswana to address shared fire risks.

The North West DARD is also seeking funds to assist farmers whose lands have been devastated by wildfires, improve farming infrastructure, and enhance fire prevention measures.

It has also called for extending the fire season, reallocating resources, reactivating non-operational fire vehicles, and strengthening early warning systems.

The Path Forward

The NWUFPA recently wrote to Minister Dion George requesting an urgent meeting to discuss unresolved issues affecting fire management and prevention.

The association, representing 4 million residents and protecting over 10.4 million hectares, feels it is being ignored.

The letter highlights critical concerns such as non-payment of financial aid to FPAs, withdrawal of fire trucks from the province, and an alleged lack of departmental support in enforcing the National Veld and Forest Fire Act, which the DFFE denies.

The NWUFPA insists that immediate government intervention is necessary to prevent a catastrophic fire season.

“The Deputy Minister is committed to prioritising the training of farmers and farmworkers in firefighting activities and organising a veld and forest fire Imbizo to create awareness among communities on veld and forests fires,” said the DFFE.

She “urges local communities, municipalities, and FPAs to remain proactive and vigilant in their fire preparedness efforts.”

“A collaborative approach involving all stakeholders is crucial to safeguarding lives, property, and ecosystems,” added the department.

Despite the government’s assurances, some FPAs and local communities say that they remain sceptical.

With a record-breaking fire season on the horizon, experts warn that failure to act now could lead to even greater devastation.