Generally, a veldfire is a fire that burns in any substantial area covered with vegetation, be it natural or alien. Every person who is the owner or manager of such a piece of property is required by law to do the following : a) make a fire break around their property that will prevent the

The Fire Danger Index, commonly referred to as the FDI, is a rating system that provides an indication as to the fire risk for a specific area on a specific day. If the expected environmental factors are know for the coming period, the FDI can be forecast. Likewise the FDI can be calculated for the

More firefighters are injured and killed every year fighting vegetation fires than those fighting structural fires. This is partly due to the extreme and unpredictable conditions encountered. In many cases the teams are required to work in isolated areas, far away from any logistical support, and as such, need to be relatively “self contained” regarding

In the majority of wildfire situations, firefighters are required to work in remote and hostile terrain in an attempt to prevent the spread of the fire, and in so doing reduce the chances of damage and destruction to infrastructure and settlements in its path. While water is one of the best items to be used

Vehicles and machinery fulfill a vital role in wildfire fighting operations, saving much time and energy. a) Skid Unit : Also locally known as a “Bakkie-Sakkie”, this is a self-contained fiberglass water tank (400 – 600 litres) with a portable water pump and hose (usually about 30 m in length) that is mounted onto the load

Over the past 10 years, more and more use is being made of aerial firefighting support in the form of suitable helicopters and airplanes. Helicopters involved in firefighting operations are used to drop water onto the fire (water bombing), and to transport firefighting crews to remote areas, as well as dropping off rations and supplies

Disaster Management staff in the USA developed a structure that can be used for any situation called the Incident Command System. It allows for an incident to be managed effectively and caters for all the required needs. The beauty of this system is that it can be expanded or contracted according to the needs of

Most wildfire fighting organisations that are serious about what they do stay abreast of technological developments, and implement such technology to make them more effective. a) GIS and Digital mapping: The use of digital maps and data overlays has become an important tool in managing resources and decision making. Knowing the terrain (using 3-D programmes such

The attitude of the general public is a willingness to assist in times of need, and wildfire events are no exception. Unfortunately, due to the dangers and risks associated with wildfire fighting, making use of untrained and ill-equipped volunteers is nothing more than irresponsible behaviour from a Fire Boss. There are, however, a number of

It is unfortunate that in the majority of wildfire operations, poor management and lack of communication leads to a decrease in effectiveness, and at times actually leads to counter-productive activities. This is usually based on the huge area within which the operation is being undertaken, all groups involved being unable to make use of a