Veld fire rapid impact assessment

Each year in South Africa, thousands of hectares of agricultural land, livestock, farming equipment, houses and lives are lost due to raging veld fires. During August 2011  the North-West Province experienced significant veld fires and on 23 August 2011, intense veld fires ravaged the areas around Fochville, Potchefstroom, Carletonville, Boskop, Amalia and Ventersdorp. At one time 13 veld fires were burning, which quickly depleted the response capabilities of the role-players. The damage caused and losses sustained quickly exceeded the resources of the local authorities and affected communities… (more)