Four water bombers fight SiyaQhubeka Forest inferno
Zululand in the red on fire danger index.
FIREFIGHTERS are buckling down to fight the fury of fires that have taken down some of Zululand’s indigenous forests this past week.
Currently, the Zululand Fire Protection Association (ZFPA) has four Ayres Thrush water bombers, each dropping 2000 litres of water at a time on a mighty blaze in the SiyaQhubeka Forests, situated on the western shores of Lake St. Lucia.
The aircrafts were activated at 11.30am.
Three of the planes were brought in from Bethlehem yesterday (Thursday) and another one arrived this morning from Winterton to extinguish the worst peak fire season Zululand has reportedly seen in decades.
This week alone, the ZFPA has fought four massive fires in conservation areas and two ground fires in Sokhulu, just north of Richards Bay.
‘It has definitely been the worst I’ve ever seen it with the drought and high winds putting northern KZN deep in the red on the fire danger index,’ said ZFPA Fire Officer Tony Roberts.
‘Today, the temperature is 41 degrees with less than 23% humidity and a wind speed of 48kms per hour – a recipe for more blazes.’
Community members are urged not to start any open fires on the ground, throw bottles out of car windows or leave any bottles on the ground – they act as magnifying tools, reflecting heat and setting fire to dry grass.
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