Veld fires: Are we prepared?

[{“type”:”text”,”content”:”This series of webinars was hosted to educate and inform participants about risk reduction practices to avoid catastrophic fire disasters. Last year more than 2 000 000 ha of veld and pastures burnt to ground due to infernos across various provinces. Farmers were destitute and in dire need of disaster aid after suffering billions of rands of damages. nnVeld fires are a common phenomenon that occurs yearly. The interior parts of the country are more susceptible to fires during winter while the Western Cape experiences fires during dry summer seasons. Preparing for fire seasons and to hedge your risk against fires is thus unavoidable. nnThis year fire risks might be even more severe in the interior parts of South Africa, due to the good rainfall experienced during the summer. Agricultural landowners should ensure that proper steps are taken to limit fire risks, as required in the national veld and forest fire act (NVFFA). The NVFF amendment bill, currently in parliament, proposes a range of stricter regulations. Amongst others, it includes the facilitation of the formation of fire protection associations by a municipality or a traditional council; extending the powers of entry, search, seizure, and arrest to peace officers and traditional leaders; and compelling a municipality, state-owned enterprise, public entity, or another organ of state that owns land to join the fire protection associations. nnThe management of fire risks is critical for rural and farming communities to ensure that valuable land and livelihoods are not threatened. Insuring against fire risks might be construed as expensive but according to Santam this perception should be disregarded. In a presentation on 13 April 2022, Emil Pretorius elaborated on the actual costs of fire insurance. Depending on each insureru2019s risk profile, the actual costs might be as follows: nn* Insurance of buildings for R1 million would amount to R2 500 per annum or R208 per month (before risk underwriting)n* Fodder in the open: R1 million would amount to R9 000 per annum or R750 per month (before risk underwriting) n* Livestock/irrigation or wildlife:n* Fire peril: R1 million or R5 000 per annum or R417 per month (before risk underwriting)n* Public liability: General limit of R1 million or R1 385 per annum or R115 per month under an umbrella cover. nnThough this offers a glimpse of the reality of fire protection, it is important to keep in mind that insurance is not standardised. Watch the full discussion on this topic on YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbh1ad4AHWM&t=204s ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbh1ad4AHWM&t=204s )nnSantam also identified a few methods for farmers to be more resilient against fire dangers. Read the full discussion here: [https://www.santam.co.za/blog/intermediary-advice/fire-safety-and-liability-for-farmers-how-to-be-prepared-for-anything/](https://www.santam.co.za/blog/intermediary-advice/fire-safety-and-liability-for-farmers-how-to-be-prepared-for-anything/). These methods include: n1.tIdentify weather conditions associated with fire dangern2.tThatched roof house owners must take extra precautions to protect their house against firesn3.tMonitor real-time fire hazards by using technologyn4.tInvest in own firefighting equipment and train staff in firefightingn5.tDevelop a veld fire plan and firebreaks in case fires approachn6.tAvoid using farm equipment or machinery when fire danger is highn7.tJoin a fire protection association for benefits to insurance premiums.nnIn their next fire webinar, hosted on 27 July 2022, Agri SA will partner up with Santam, Dru00e4ger and Kishugu Aviation to discuss fire safety. We will be in the middle of the fire season, and discussions will explore training, protective equipment, and group insurance.nnContact your Santam broker for more information on fire insurance and a comprehensive list of available options.”,”position”:0,”id”:”qMf30r3AVR1HZIEH”},{“type”:”image”,”content”:”https://agrisaonline.com/images/762″,”position”:1,”id”:”fs51XPWI7qQR50yq”}]