WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
If the trends over the past 20 years are anything to go by, there is a clear indication that wildfires are on the increase. The reasons for this include hotter and drier summer periods, increased human activity in fire risk areas, and increases in alien vegetation occurrence leading to dangerous fuel loads.
While it is necessary to identify these reasons, it is just as important to develop and implement plans to reduce the unwanted ignitions, and also to take precautions to reduce their impact. Wildfires are a given occurrence. We as humans need to manage them to reduce the death and destruction they cause when they burn out of control.
To this end, the responsibility lies with both the private and public sector, and landowners need to take more responsibility in managing property under their control in the form of fuel management and methods to prevent the spread of such fires. Local and provincial governments need to accept responsibility for the implementation of precautionary measures such as awareness and education programmes, and not hide behind policies and excuses about lack of funding when millions of rands are spent on perks and luxury items for selected dignitaries. Members of the general public too need to take on additional responsibility in an effort to reduce the accidental fires resulting from complacency and carelessness.
In the majority of cases, both public and private groups are fully aware of what needs to be done. Unfortunately both are often reluctant to step up to the mark and make the effort.
