Preventing and fighting veld fires

Fire protection associations play an integral part in managing fire risk during the dry winter season. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Johann Breytenbach, general manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association, about the importance of these organisations and how they can grow their capacity and capability.

- Johann Breytenbach

Tell us more about the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association.

The Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association (FSUFPA) represents various fire protection associations (FPAs), the provincial disaster management center, and regionally represented landowner organizations that wish to become organized for the purpose of [implementing] the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) of 1998.

FSUFPA was formed in 2012 in terms of Section 4(9) of the NVFFA with the aim of supporting the sustainable implementation of integrated wildfire management practices on a local, regional and provincial level.

FSUFPA is the primary operational structure that provides support to its members and the provincial disaster management structures relating to integrated wildfire management in the province.

To this effect, FSUFPA is officially recognized as a Provincial Umbrella FPA by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and is mandated by the Provincial Disaster Management Centre to liaise, advise, inform, coordinate, capacitate and engage with all stakeholders pertaining to integrated wildfire management in the province.

Why are FPAs important?

The NVFFA makes landowners responsible for preventing and extinguishing veld, forest, and mountain fires (veld fires) on their own properties while recognizing that the effective management of wildfires remains a common concern requiring an integrated and cooperative approach.