Article 11: EASTERN CAPE UMBRELLA PROTECTION ASSOCIATION: TEN GOLDEN RULES TO ADHERE TO
1. Make effective fire breaks on your property borders.
This protects your property and prevents a fire spreading to neighbouring properties.
2. Warn neighbours if you plan to burn fire-breaks.
Use a written notice to inform neighbours of your intentions.
3. Plan your fire-breaks programme with your neighbours.
Get your neighbour’s approval of your plan of action. Should neighbours find it impossible to come an agreement, provision is made that the local magistrate may act as arbiter. His ruling will then be binding by both landowners.
4. Insist on your neighbour’s presence when fire-breaks on boundary belts are being made.
This will ensure that all parties take responsibility for any eventualities. Should a fire occur on a property, and it is suspect of posing a threat to man, animal or property, any person may enter property and apply necessary reasonable measures to prevent the fire from spreading, or to extinguish the fire. These measures may even include setting fire to crops, fire-breaks etc.
5. Ensure that weather conditions are acceptable for burning firebreaks.
You could consider burning fires at night when weather conditions are usually favourable for burning. Check the Fire Danger Rating and regulations for your region.
6. Burn fire-breaks early.
Burning restrictions are enforced in certain regions – ensure that you’re aware of these.
7. Don’t light fires in the open air if you cannot control it.
Ensure that you have enough help and equipment to cope with all eventualities. Lighting a fire within a road reserve, except in fireplace built for that purpose, is also prohibited in terms of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act No 101 of 1998.
8. You are responsible for doing all you can to prevent a fire from spreading to neighbouring properties.
If a fire spread it can cause extensive damage and the landowner from where it originates, can be held liable for damages.
9. Don’t leave a fire unguarded / unattended before it is properly extinguished.
Unexpected winds can reflame cinders.
10. According to the National Veld and Forest Fire Act No 101 of 1998, carelessness with fires is considered a criminal offence.
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