When the Flames Raged: How Heart Met Hand to Save Free State’s Wildlife and Farmers

Ten-fold increase in Free State wildfires so far this year by By Annelie Coleman June 25, 2021.

More than 42 000ha have so far been lost to veld fires in the Free State this year, compared with just under 3 900ha during the same period in 2020.

This was according to Johan Breytenbach, general manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association (FSUPA).

A veld fire near Boshof in May destroyed 30 000ha of farmland, making it one of the worst fires this year. A number of livestock burnt to death, and the fire left nearly 7,000 sheep without grazing.

Dr Jack Armour, Free State Agriculture’s operations manager, said at the time that the fire could not have occurred at a worse time. By May, the summer rainfall season had come to an end, and it would take at least eight months, until after the first summer rain, before the veld could start regrowing, he said.

“We call on the public to help the affected farmers. Donations of animal feed or funds to purchase animal feed would be much appreciated,” Armour said.

Breytenbach said it was difficult and time-consuming to determine the true cause of any wildfire, and in the majority of cases it could only be determined through a forensic investigation.

He stressed that veld fires were a reality in the province, and risk mitigation was the most important tool in their management and prevention.

However, this year the situation had been exacerbated by, among other factors, the high fuel-load of the vegetation following the good summer rainfall received across the province.

“Fire protection associations (FPAs) have to [undertake] proper risk mitigation planning at the beginning of the dry winter season.”

He explained that the potential for the outbreak of fires needed to be determined through a fire risk audit and then needed to be followed by preparations for such eventualities.

It was also vitally important for FPAs to ensure that their internal structures operated in terms of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act. He advised FPAs to always follow the protocols as set out in the Act.

According to the Act, landowners were responsible for preventing and extinguishing veld fires on their properties. In addition to the risk mitigation plans put in plans by FPAs, it was of critical importance for individual landowners to also conduct fire risk audits on their own farms and homesteads.

“This includes, for instance, [creating] firebreaks around packhouses and sheds, workers quarters and all other areas that pose a high fire threat. In the case of veld fires, prevention truly is better than cure,” Breytenbach said.

Message for help from one of our members:

Ons het die 12 de Julie 1 van seker die grootste brande in SA nog beleef. Duisende hektare afgebrand en duisende diere doodgebrand. Woorde kan die gebeure nie beskryf nie.

Boere in ons omgewing het ongelooflike skade en sit nou met die grootste uitdaging om hulle diere kos te gee. Ons het die week probeer om soveel as moontlik wild te behandel wat gebrand het. Was verskriklik om te sien hoe sleg van hulle gebrand het. Ons het ook probeer om meeste van die wild wat op swart aarde staan met geen kos te skuif en boere verkoop maar meeste om kos te koop vir die bietjie wat oorbly. Skade en kostes met die skuiwe is maar enorm. Baie van die diere het permanente long skade met die verskriklike rook en roet. Meer as 2500 beeste het doodgebrand. Meer as 2500 skaap. Orals dooie klein wild en groot. Iets verskriklik om te aanskou en los verseker 'n permanente letsel!!

Die grootste behoefte in ons area is kos vir die diere. Die reën is nog vêr en gaan vir maande nog die diere moet voer.

Rallying the Community: Donations and Deployments

Within days, South African game farmers and allied partners mobilized to fill hay trucks, rig water tanks, and load veterinary supplies:

• Feed Contributions:

  • 100 round grass bales (1.2 m) generously donated by S.T. Ferguson (Pty) Ltd of Hekpoort, Gauteng.

• Transport Partnerships:

  • In collaboration with the PHASA Foundation, Buffelshoek Transport and Bextrans provided discounted freight to carry feed directly to the worst-hit areas.

• Logistics in Action:

  • Two truckloads of 50 bales each made the 700 km journey from Hekpoort to Boshof—delivering 100 bales of lush fodder to starving herds.

By the close of August, seven wildlife ranchers had registered for relief, representing 14,173 hectares of land—nearly 8,000 ha burnt and 6,200 ha spared by the flames. Among them were four game-only operations and three mixed livestock farms, caring for 4,328 surviving heads of wildlife and domestic stock.