Authorities battle to contain Free State veldfires
Updated | By Nokukhanya N Mntambo
Authorities in the Free State are battling to contain the veldfires that broke out at the start of the week.
By Thursday, an estimated 100 000 hectares of farmland had been destroyed.
The fires damaged infrastructure and led to some farmers losing everything, including their livestock.
Working On Fires spokesperson Wayne Mokhethi says teams are monitoring hotspots areas such as Boshof.
Two spotter planes are also hovering over the area, keeping watch.
“There are still fires in the Free State, they are under control however they aren’t contained yet,” he confirms.
“These fires are starting in the Northern Cape and then they are spreading into the Free State. We have identified them, we are working on them, our teams are attacking them, and we are seeing some progress.”
Mokhethi says they have reached out to officials in the Northern Cape.
“At the moment there is no communication with the Northern Cape government, but we have reached out to them and we are waiting for a response from them on the fires that side.”
He warns residents to steer clear of the hotspots.
Other affected areas include Hertzogville, Christiana and Dealesville.
“From Working On Fires side, we haven’t had any fatalities and we haven’t had any injuries however for the general public I cannot speculate whether someone has been injured or not.
“What I would like to indicate to the public is that when they do see smoke, when they do see a fire that they do report it to the authorities.”
Listen to Mokhethi below:
Show's Stories
-
LISTEN: Actress Sophie Joans talks about her award-winning play
Two extraordinary stage talents, Sophie Joans and Rob van Vuuren, have t...
The Drive with Rob & Roz 2 hours ago -
LISTEN: The best road trip tips ahead of the Easter weekend
From traffic to packing, Rob Forbes and Rozanne McKenzie are sharing tip...
The Drive with Rob & Roz 5 hours ago