If is an unfortunate fact that firefighters may not be able to assist you in times of need due to overstretched resources, leaving it up to you to protect your home. Phase 1: In preparation for a possible fire :  If you in the weeks before a possible fire are able to properly prepare the

The reason fires are started by people can generally be put into 2 categories. a) Accidental:  By far the most common of causes, accidental fires, or “non-intentional fires” are as a result of ignorance, incompetence, or complacency. These can include: Unattended camping, cooking and heating fires Children playing with matches Discarding of burning cigarette butts

While being practiced and refined in countries such as the United States and Australia, wildfire investigation is a relatively new science in South Africa. Many people, including seasoned and high-ranking fire fighters, cannot accept that trained and experienced investigators are able to find the origin and cause of destructive wildfires that sometimes burn for days

The importance of not jumping to conclusions is perhaps the biggest challenge facing wildfire investigators. Following internationally recognised procedures in determining where the fire started is of paramount importance, as providing reliable and acceptable testimony in a court of law might be required at a later stage. There are a number of factors that assist

Once it has been determined where the fire started, known as the Specific Point of Origin, utmost care is taken to ensure that this site is not disturbed until it has been comprehensively documented and photographed. Every single item – located both on the soil surface and below it – is recorded and eliminated as

The final phase of the firefighting operation is called “Mop Up”, whereby firefighters use hand tools, water, and heat sensors to ensure that all burning material is fully extinguished. Once the fire has been declared “Dead-Out”, a term used to state that there are no remaining burning embers, a number of post-fire activities are carried

The number of fires occurring annually, coupled with the extent of their damage, totals millions, and in some cases billions, of rands and dollars. These expenses can generally be grouped as follows : a) Ground firefighting costs: This includes all manpower salaries and overtime, fuels, vehicle mileage, repairs and maintenance of tools and equipment, and

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

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