Department of Water Affairs and Forestry - Chief Directorate: Communication Services
Tel (012) 336 8264 Fax (012) 324 6592
MEDIA RELEASE
REGISTRATION OF FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATIONS SET TO PREVENT VELDFIRES
Date: 21 May 03
Regulations allowing Fire Protection Associations to be registered and empowered by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) were brought into effect on Friday 16 May 2003.
Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) are voluntary associations which may be formed by land owners to prevent, predict, manage and extinguish veldfires under the National Veld and Forest Fire Act of 1998. Wherever a FPA is formed, state and municipal landowners in the area are compelled to join it. This ensures that all major role players are involved in efforts to prevent and manage veldfires, which cause serious damage to property, livelihoods and the environment each year. Lives are lost almost every year in veld, forest and mountain fires, with rural people suffering enormous damage to grazing, livestock and homesteads during some fire seasons. Large scale losses to the forestry industry are also incurred regularly.
In anticipation of the regulations, land owners all over the country have been establishing FPAs - DWAF has received more than 60 applications for registration, with most applications coming in from the Eastern and Northern Cape. About 40 other groups have indicated their intention to form FPAs in their areas.
DWAF is ready to start registering FPAs, with a specially designed, web-enabled FPA Registration Management System in place. Applicants who have completed the relevant forms, available from any office of DWAF, should wait no longer than 30 days for their registration. Specially trained Fire Advisors are available throughout the country to assist with the formation of FPAs.
Registration enables the FPA to appoint a Fire Protection Officer, who has the authority to act as the chief executive officer of the FPA, take control of any fire fighting in the FPA's area if it is a threat to life or property, inspect FPA members' land to ensure they are complying with the National Veld and Forest Fire Act's provisions and to train members.
The FPA once registered also has a number of powers and duties. It must develop and apply a veldfire management strategy which aims to reduce veldfire risk in its area, and in doing so it must co-operate with neighbouring FPAs. FPAs can make rules concerning fire prevention and management which will bind its members, and the Fire Protection Officer can enforce these rules. FPAs must also assist neighbouring communities to prevent and manage veldfires. The FPA will also play an important role once the national fire danger rating system is in place by informing its members of the daily fire danger rating.
The regulations set out the procedure for establishing a FPA, including a model constitution. The application process to have a FPA or a Fire Protection Officer registered, and requirements for the FPA's annual report can also be found in the regulations. Copies of the regulations and forms are available from any office of DWAF.
Enquiries: Pogiso Molapo
Deputy Director: Forestry Regulation
Tel: 012 336 7679
E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
