Fires in the Free State have already destroyed more than 60 000ha of veld, the provincial department of water affairs and forestry said on Monday.
Spokesperson Malcolm Proctor said last year’s figure of 69 000ha destroyed will probably be exceeded by next week, even though the veld-fire season in the Free State has not yet started. ”This is bad,” he said.
Most of the fires are caused by arson, illegal hunting, the smoking-out of bees and negligence by individuals.
”Three fires last weekend were caused by separate individuals welding in the veld,” Proctor said, adding that this happens when tractors or fencing are being worked on.
According to data compiled by Proctor, the western Free State, with its high percentage of maize fields and cultivated land, had more fires than the ”high burning” eastern Free State last year.
Proctor said the decrease in veld fires in the eastern Free State could be because four ”Working on Fire” crews were established in the region.
Veld fires in the Free State destroyed an estimated 400 000ha of grazing in 2002. The figures have steadily decreased over the years, ending with the lowest figure last year of about 70 000ha.
The Free State has an estimated 13-million hectares of grazing land. — Sapa