The Free State Provincial Disaster Management centre together with the Wildfire Response Task Team is on the ground to quell possible veld fire flare-up.
At least seven areas in the Free State which include Brandfort, Soutpan, Boshof and Dealesville are experiencing veldfires.
Savage Breytenbach from the Wildfire Response Task Team has appealed to members of the public to be vigilant as they continue to fight veld fires.
Breytenbach says the team will assist the community by identifying and responding to hotspots and flare-ups.
He says additional supporting agencies like the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), South African Police Service (SAPS) and various Fire Protection Association teams will coordinate through Incident Command Team.
Breytenbach says an incident Management Post with a staging area is established at Soetdoring Nature Reserve to accommodate external fire crews with their equipment and vehicles.
Breytenbach explains: “Just an appeal to the public that the public must please stay away from the area. I know that there’s a lot of people who have extremely good intentions trying to assist. But if we can just please ask that the general public stay out of the area. We have got multiple resources, we are quite capable of assisting and helping. And if you are not part of organised structure your not going to be able to effectively assist.”
