Why burn permits are essential: Red flags are waving this fire season

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Landowners that perform controlled burning on their land, usually apply for a burn permit either through their local fire protection association (FPA) or the municipal fire department/services.

To better understand why it is important to burn with permission, and what the process of obtaining a burn permit entails, Kanyiso Miti, assistant manager of FPAs at Agri Eastern Cape, provided some helpful information.

“We all know that landowners used to burn their veld when it suited them,” she says. “This led to many runaway fires which required fire department attention. These days, with more functional FPAs and dedicated members, there is a much better understanding on how the burn system should be working.”

How the process works

Government issues an annual fire prohibition notice regarding the ideal time to burn in an area, which allows members to plan their burns accordingly. FPAs together with the fire protection officer (FPO) and/or chief fire officer (CFO) provide FPA members with the opportunity to apply for permits. Time allowances are made to consider weather conditions and whether the FPA member has all the required firefighting equipment at hand for a burn.

Members then inform their neighbours and the FPA at least 24 hours prior to burning. However, burning on weekends and public holidays is strictly prohibited. The FPA advises the member whether the conditions are ideal to burn or not. The type of vegetation and weather conditions will depend on how much damage there can be during a burn.

“In the case of the recent fires on the coastal parts of Eastern Cape, the dry weather coupled with minimal rain and vegetation that has not been cleared are the main reasons why the veldfires were so bad,” says Miti. This is why it is vitally important that the FPA, municipal fire department, and landowners work together in such a way that the FPO or CFO will, upon the request of the landowner, issue cost-free burn permits to the FPA member applying for it.

“It leaves room for landowners to burn, clear out bush, and create firebreaks. As a result, vegetation will be able to provide feed for livestock but not fuel runaway fires, especially in high-risk areas prone to veldfires.” She says it can also help to eliminate the alien invasive species plants that are hazardous and abundant in uncleared areas. “We therefore encourage landowners to become FPA members in their areas.”