22 minute read
14th NMU Fire Management Symposium and field day held in Karkloof, KwaZulu-Natal
The Forestry Department (George Campus) of the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) held its 14th Fire Management Symposium from 6 to 8 November 2024 at the Halliwell Country Inn in Karkloof, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The symposium was hosted in partnership with industry stakeholders. The theme of the symposium was "Educating and training for effective wildfire management".
The symposium brought together fire managers, stakeholders and wildland fire management agencies from various sectors, including nature conservation, agriculture, fire services, fire protections associations, disaster management and forestry.
Tiaan Pool, the Head of Department: Forestry Department at NMU, welcomed all and shared the usual formalities.
Dr Ronald Heath: ‘Educating the nation’
Keynote speaker, Dr Ronald Heath, director: Research and Protection at Forestry South Africa (FSA), discussed ‘Educating the nation: The effect of sound fire management on the lives of South Africans’. He detailed the economic, social and environmental impact of wildfires, highlighting the fact of the shortcomings in quantifying economic loss such as the lack of data and that it excludes the cost of suppression, the impact on associated value chains, business disruption and associated impacts such as tourism.
Dr Heath shared the statistics of the impact on the displacement of communities and the impact on settlements, adding the financial and health impact on humans due to fatalities and injuries due to burnovers, smoke inhalation causing lung disease and heart failure, mental health including PTSD, depression, anxiety and substance use and aircraft and vehicle accidents.
The environmental impact includes vegetation loss, habitat destruction, soil degradation water contamination, erosion, climate change, impact on precipitation and air quality.
He said that we need to acknowledge that sound fire management has significant positive effects on the lives of South Africans. Dr Heath added that proper fire management strategies are crucial in reducing the risk and severity of uncontrolled wildfires and are key to environmental management. He added that to counter the expected increase in wildfires, we need accurate climate data at regional and local level. The use of technological advancements to fight the fires and enhanced rapid response will ensure increased capabilities. He also highlighted the importance of training, education and fire awareness programmes and said that collaboration between stakeholders needs to be improved to build a sound fire management strategy.
International: Bryan Yockers, ‘Prairie Project - Agents of change’
International presenter, Bryan Yockers, the education and outreach facilitator with the Prairie Project in the USA, shared his presentation on ‘Agents of change: Enhancing student understanding of fire, herbivory and rangeland ecosystem services’. The project targets the youth to teach values that will enable them to be agents for change when they grow up. He said that data shows that the interventions do make a difference, through empowering educators.
Yockers said that 260 hectare of prairie is lost per day per state in the great plains area through tree encroachment. The biome collapse leads to major consequences at the biome level. There is a disconnect between the people and the reality of where their food is coming from (urbanisation).
Prairie Project Educator Cohorts focus on developing rangeland literacy thorough various projects, classes and case studies. Yockers also shared the preliminary results of the project, which showed that there was an increase in understanding and practice.
Rob Thompson: ‘Three key elements: surprise, anxiety and disturbance’
The second day keynote address was by Rob Thompson of NCT Forestry Agricultural Cooperative Limited, who discussed the ‘Three key elements: surprise, anxiety and disturbance’, providing an overview of the recent NCT chip mill fire in Richard’s Bay. The fire was spread by the melting conveyor on 30 September 2023.
Using the triangle form from the fire triangle, Thompson shared some practical recommendations to prepare for the increasing risks of unintended fire incidents. Some strategies suggested included to be prepared through training using simulations, competency tests, drills and procedures prior to incidents.
He added that it is important that risk appreciation includes the awareness of the weather, capacity and ground conditions. Readiness means being capable, equipped and on site and the accuracy of decisions is based upon competency, caution and experience/intuition. He furthermore detailed the triangle for control ie command, supervise, strategise and response included reach/access, rate/volume and refill/replace. Thompson said that to sustain as the fight goes on, rations, rest and remedial formed the triangle and to understand, you need to monitor, report and record.
“Own it! Predict, protect and warn the neighbours”, said Thompson and after the incident you need to strengthen your position by reflecting, repairing and regrouping leading to the prevention triangle of prevention, which includes mitigation, reengineering and sharing the lessons learnt in order to defer future incidents.
Eric Stoch: ‘From the Tribal Council to the fireline’
Eric Stoch, chairman of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association (NWUFPA), discussed, ‘From the Tribal Council to the fireline: A revolutionary model for tribal and Khoi-San integration in fire safety’, amongst various other pertinent fire management issues. Stoch shared the details of the NWUFPA management committee and its local and district FPAs, highlighting the importance of protection in rural communities. He added that representatives of the local tribal councils serve on their executive committee and act as brand ambassadors for the FPAs He said that NWUFPA through their NWUFPA College has trained their own instructors, 38 facilitators and 33 assessors, with some doing the US FEMA courses.
He said that NWUFPA is representative of 56 traditional leadership areas, which has made a difference. They are also spreading the message through partners to the community including the disabled.
Stoch said that invaluable role of Working on Fire needs to be acknowledged. “Strategic firebreaks have now been implemented, with 1 500kms of roads covered. We need to face the reality of fatalities and need collaboration between stakeholders. Let’s find solutions that work and train accordingly. However, we need appropriate budgets”, said Stoch. “More training is needed and we need to build partnerships in order to create capacity.”
Johan ‘Savage’ Breytenbach: ‘Training and education in commercial farming communities
Savage Breytenbach, manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association (FSUFPA), presented on ‘Training and education in commercial farming communities’. He highlighted the importance of increasing the wildfire resilience of rural agricultural communities and shared the lessons learnt during the past 10 years of training these communities.
Breytenbach said we need a reality check relating to the lack of personal capacity and capability within communities as well as organisational and institutional capacity, adding that comprehensive and holistic capacity building is needed at all levels. He shared the
challenges such as time for training due to the agricultural rhythm, the misconceptions of risk, response versus risk management, biases, systemic failures, cost etc and the Dunning - Kruger effect, where a person’s lack of knowledge and skill in a certain area causes them to overestimate their own competence aka “you don’t know that you don’t know”.
Highlighting the key lessons learnt, Breytenbach noted that the standalone training of firefighting is ineffective. He added that we need to acknowledge and accommodate the fact that there is a local knowledge base and provide for extended support and further development.
“Training must provide the individual with principals and concepts that enable adapting knowledge to local conditions and experiences”, said Breytenbach. “We need to allow for practical experience and enable local communities to develop organisational capacity. To sustainably implement integrated fire management in rural agricultural communities, we need to implement strategic training in order to build organisational capability. This must be done on three levels ie individual, organisational and systemic”
Roger Johnston: ‘Gaps and training/education needs of contractors in the forestry industry’
The CEO of the South African Forestry Contractors Association (SAFCA), Roger Johnston, discussed the ‘Gaps and training/education needs of contractors in the forestry industry’. He provided an overview of SAFCA and its collaborations and member distribution per province.
“Contractors play varying roles in fire suppression etc depending on the relationships with clients”, said Johnston. He said that when it comes to training, not one scenario fits all as some grower companies are totally outsourced to contractors while others are a mixture of own operations and contractors. Also, some teams very well trained whilst others are lacking.”
Sharing some photos of recent wildfires, he highlighted the importance of firebreaks.
“Communication between grower companies and contractors is vital especially the level of involvement, responsibilities and training. Training needs to be provided for management and on the ground fire personnel, with an understanding by all the chains of command and responsibilities, especially in a big fire when replacement teams are needed.” He added that core training must include the integrated fire management and Incident Command System/ operational command.
“Holistic fit-for-purpose training is needed on actual equipment and environment with a focus on the basics with relevant
refresher training. Foresters and contractors must learn to work together. Train as a team and not in isolation. We need to train them that people come first, dwellings and equipment second and plantations third,” said Johnston. He also highlighted training in escape routes and safety zones and the importance of physical fitness of firefighters.
Stephen Devine: ‘An international view on future needs of veldfire training and education’ FireScape’s Stephen Devine shared, ‘An international view on future needs of veldfire training and education’. He said, “Improving operational effectiveness in wildland fire management begins with rethinking training structures to make them as realistic as possible. By integrating scenariobased learning and simulations that mimic complex, real-world conditions, firefighters are better prepared for unpredictable situations. Expanding scenariobased training allows individuals and teams to practice under high-pressure conditions, building essential decisionmaking and response skills.”
Devine also highlighted the importance of benchmarking against global standards adding that ICS needs to be standardised. “We need SOPs and standardised training as well as competent leaders. We also need to invest in predictive fire modelling and its implementation”, said Devine.
Frank Smook: ‘Flight operations: Training the guardians of the sky’
Kishugu Aviation’s Frank Smook, shared a very insightful presentation on ‘Flight operations: Training the guardians of the sky, in which he detailed aerial firefighting techniques. He shared an overview of Kishugu Aviation, which has been operating since mid-1980. He also elaborated on Kishugu Aviation Training Organisation (ATO), who’s instructors are experienced pilots, pilot trainers and certified trainers with over 10 000 hours of training experience.
Smook mentioned the various careers in aerial firefighting ie command and control pilot, single engine air tanker (SEAT) pilot, helicopter (UH-1H) pilot, aviation support vehicle (ASV) driver, helicopter personal assistant (HPA), heli-tack, bomber loader and aerial dispatcher, detailing the purpose, functional capability and requirements for each.
He also discussed the future of aerial firefighting sharing insight into night-time aerial firefighting. Smook also elaborated on aerial firefighting methods saying, “Aircraft don’t put fires out; we cool them down and ground crews put the fires out.”
Thobi Mkhize: ‘The importance of community engagement and fire awareness’
Mondi’s head of stakeholder management, Thobi Mkhize, discussed the ‘The importance of community engagement and fire awareness to offset unwanted fires in commercial plantations’. She said that Mondi has 245 communities surrounding their plantations of which about 70 reside on the land with 56 schools that have a direct impact on fires. She shared the economic, environmental and social impact of fires. “The best defence against fire is a community working together”, she said.
“The vital role communities play in fire prevention and the practical steps that can be taken to engage them effectively, emphasising shared responsibility, awareness and preparedness. Community engagement and fire awareness are essential in preventing unwanted fires in commercial plantations. When local communities are informed, trained and involved, the risk of catastrophic fires can be significantly reduced. Protecting our plantations requires an integrated approach through engaging with our stakeholders”, said Mkhize.
“We need to encourage active community participation in fire prevention and invest in continuous fire awareness education and sustainable fire management practices”, concluded Mkhize.
Marius Atterbury: ‘Bridging the education and training gaps within local authorities regarding veldfires’
The Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa’s (FPASA’s) Marius Atterbury presented on ‘Bridging the education and training gaps within local authorities regarding veldfires’. He shared the background and history to FPASA saying that long time ago there was fire, which led to fire safety standards and that 40 years ago, you became a fireman by listening to and observing firemen. “In South Africa, the establishment of legislation to directly address veldfires are similarly birthed from tragic loss of lives as a result of veldfires”, said Atterbury.
He detailed the Organisational Framework for Occupancies (OFO), the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Quality Council For Trades and Occupations (QCTO), related to wildland firefighting training, saying that it is a sad losing the NMU Advanced Diploma in Forestry qualification but looking forward to the ‘new package’. “Training is a business; to get the training, we need to show the business that there is a customer”, said Atterbury. “The way forward is to engage with all spheres and stakeholders in order to forge ahead with a forestry-based qualification.”
Jeanette Relling: ‘Future training and education needs for veldfire management’
The Kishugu Training Academy’s Jeanette Relling discussed the ‘Future training and education needs for veldfire management’. She said that the Kishugu Training Academy formed part of the Kishugu Group and has been operating since 2003, providing the training component of the WoF Programme in the WoF –Kishugu Joint Venture.
“Increased fatalities and injuries underscore the urgency for specialised training. It’s not about to train or not to train but to train and what to train”, said Relling. She added that the QCTO) is slow to respond to requests and is not aligned with the industry’s needs. She highlighted the need for professionalisation, especially wildland firefighting as a standalone, specialised occupation. “A structured curriculum, certification and clear career paths, are important as well as specialised roles such as incident commanders, fire behaviour analysts etc.”
Relling also discussed the importance of including technology in training and operations and the ‘Train-thetrainer’ approach for knowledge dissemination and the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), drones and remote sensing, virtual reality (VR) and
simulation-based fire scenario training. Then there are the community-based programmes to reduce dependence on formal firefighting teams. “The school-based fire awareness programmes instil fire safety and prevention awareness in younger generations. We also need to learn from countries with extensive wildland fire experience such as Australia, Canada and the USA”, said Relling.
James Ballantyne: ‘In the blink of an eye, everything can change’
James Ballantyne of Kwamahlati Training Services shared in his presentation on ‘In the blink of an eye, everything can change; your legal rights and responsibilities and practical implementation of the requirements and regulations as per the OHS Act and lessons learned from recent incidents’. He said that through the OHS Act legislation, you need to prove your innocence, they do not need to prove your guilt. Ballantyne shared information of the OHS Act highlighting the definitions and Regulations as well as the general duties of employers to employees and the offences, penalties and special orders of court and what the Act requires.
“Make sure everything that you can control is under control”, said Ballantyne. He added that managers should set an example and the importance of risk assessments, induction and practical training.
Hannes van Zyl: ‘Problem based learning: A new teaching and learning strategy’
Programme coordinator BSc Hons Forestry at NMU, Hannes van Zyl, looked at ‘Problem based learning (PBL): A new teaching and learning strategy’, which is the approach adopted by the EU-sponsored Forest21 programme. Van zyle described the difference between PBL and tradition teaching, saying, “PNL is a student-centred approach to learning that involves groups of students working to solve a real-world problem. Through PBL, students not only strengthen their teamwork, communication and research skills but they also sharpen their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for life-long learning.”
He added that research has shown that new knowledge is retained better when you try to determine what you already know about the subject before you start learning. “It is this activation of prior knowledge that prepares your brain for the storage of new information”, said Van Zyl. The seven steps of PBL are seven steps of PBL are: clarifying unfamiliar terms, defining the problem, brainstorming, analysing the problem, formulating learning objectives and goals, self-study and synthesising findings/reporting.
Prof Tracy-Lynn Field: ‘Give me a (fire)break
Field professor of Environmental and Sustainability Law at the University of the Witwatersrand, Prof Tracy-Lynn, discussed ‘Give me a (fire)break: Exploring apportionment of liability in South Africa’s recent veldfire jurisprudence’. She explained how South African courts interpret the National Veld and Forest Act 101 of 1998 and the law of delict to determine liability for damages resulting from uncontrolled veldfires.
Prof Field also discussed the need for courts to adapt to climateinduced risks to ensure that legal systems can address emerging environmental challenges effectively such as veldfires.
Advocate Glenwin Sefela: ‘Setting the veldfire scene’
NMU lecturer in Law Faculty/ Natural Resource Management legislation, Advocate Glenwin Sefela, discussed, ‘Setting the veldfire scene: A reflective overview of the National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Act and the National Veldfire Act’. Advocate Glenwin Sefela shared the additions incorporated in the National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Act 13 of 2023 saying the changes include the name change, definitions, formation of an FPA, joining of owners to an FPA, ministerial exemption, ministerial delegation, extension of “Enforcement powers” and appeals.
Advocate Sefela said it highlights the necessity of an integrated approach to veldfire management and that it is aimed to integrate management strategies with the emphasis on a coordinated approach.
Laura Coetzee: ‘Transforming fire detection strategy with ultra-early fire detection’
Director at Boabab Sentinel t/a Dryad Africa’s Laura Coetzee shared the results of an ongoing project on ‘Transforming fire detection strategy with ultra-early fire detection’. She discussed the impact of wildfires saying that wildfires affect around 100 000 hectares in South Africa each year, with 80 percent of them being caused by humans. She also mentioned the importance for commercial forestry for South Africa and that wildfires not only destroy trees but also harm soil quality, reduce biodiversity and incur millions in revenue losses.
She described the limitations of traditional detection and detailed the ultra-early detection pilot project currently at PG Bison’ where they deployed 77 sensors across 115 hectares
to test early detection under real conditions adding that the solar-powered sensors detect critical gasses, like CO and NO2, before smoke appears. “The sensors form an interconnected network, monitoring changes minute-by-minute and sending real-time alerts. This system shifts fire management from reactive to proactive, enabling earlier interventions”, said Coetzee. “The system is adaptable, meaning it can be scaled for different forest types and risk levels.”
Hannes Vosloo: ‘Sappi fire management strategies and tactics in the Lowveld region’
Sappi Mpumalanga fire manager, Hannes Vosloo, shared ‘Sappi fire management strategies and tactics in the Lowveld region’ saying that most of the work is done pre-fire season, detailing their nine-month preparation for the fire season, which includes servicing and upgrading fire suppression equipment and infrastructure such as roads, water re-supply and aerial support, conducting community engagement and awareness campaigns, preparing firebreaks and access roads and selecting and training personnel for fire management roles.
He also detailed their focus during the fire season, which includes detection and reporting, initial response, personnel, vehicles, aerial support, extended response and post fire reviews. Vosloo highlighted the importance early detection and rapid response, saying, “We try to get to fires early while they are still warm. We overreact; it is cheaper to turn aerial support back when not needed than not having it early when needed most.”
Matthew Danckwerts: ‘Reliability of fire pattern indicators used in wildfire investigations’
Wildfire forensic investigator/ fire ecologist at MJ Danckwerts Consulting (Pty) Ltd, Matthew Danckwerts, discussed the ‘Reliability of fire pattern indicators used in wildfire investigations’, following a series of landscape fire experiments conducted in the Eastern Cape. He said that fire pattern indicators are not as reliable as previously believed and that using indicators in conjunction with each other can lead to more accurate conclusions about fire patterns and spread.
Danckwerts said, “Leeside charring on pole type fuels, unburnt plant litter and undercutting of grass stems are reliable indicators of wind direction and fire intensity. A good understanding of fire behaviour is required to interpret indicators reliably and accurately.”
Angel Goldsmith: ‘Mobilising social capital for fire risk reduction at South Africa’s wildland-urban interface’
PhD candidate at Kings College London Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy, Angel Goldsmith, discussed ‘Mobilising social capital for fire risk reduction at South Africa’s wildland-urban interface’, detailing the study objectives, which focusses on leveraging the relationships and networks within and between communities to enhance fire risk management and education in WUI. Goldsmith also detailed the case study sites and methods and the results.
The study compared the various types of settlements ie informal settlements, township settlements and formal settlements, identifying the diverse types of social capital, delving into bonding social capital (within community), bridging social capital (collaboration between communities) and linking social capital (relationships with external entities). Goldsmith said, “Communities have different levels of social support and resources, known as social capital. This difference makes it harder for fire risk education and awareness programs to work equally well for everyone, as some communities may lack the support networks or resources needed to fully benefit from these programmes.”
Kelvin Price: ‘The latest developments in weather monitoring’
Managing director of CW Price and Co, Kelvin Price, shared ‘The latest developments in weather monitoring’, highlighting the importance of weather station maintenance and cleaning. Price provided background information on the history of VitalWeather and its products. “We developed our own solution that eliminates housing, backup battery and a charger therefore dramatically reducing system price. This development is now 4G/LTE compatible with huge improvement in uptime, plus Wi-Fi connectivity and vastly improved memory for cell tower outages”, said Price.
He added, “Remember VitalWeather and VitalFireWeather is not only for FDI predictions but is also extremely useful for research purposes, nurseries, insurance claims and post fire analysis and investigations.”
Navashni Govender: ‘Char height as a robust and affordable postfire proxy for fire intensity’
Senior manager for conservation at Kruger National Park Skukuza, Navashni Govender, looked at ‘Char height as a robust and affordable post-fire proxy for fire intensity’. “Fire intensity plays a crucial role in fire management, influencing both immediate firefighting strategies and longterm ecological outcomes ie reducing hazardous fuelloads, maintaining ecosystem health, firefighting strategies and protecting human life and property. However, the direct determination and measuring of fire intensity is very difficult and therefore post fire indices allows the fire manager to measure fire intensity and therefore understand its effects”, said Govender.
She shared the details of the studies in the Kruger National Park, saying that fires and megaherbivores are ecosystem drivers. “The use of post-fire indicators, specifically scorch and char height, are proxies for fire intensity, offering detailed insights into the intensity and ecological impact of fires. By leveraging these indices, fire managers can make informed decisions about rehabilitation, risk mitigation and future fire management practices, ultimately contributing to healthier and more resilient ecosystems.”, said Govender.
Col Ivor Rimmer: ‘SARZA, a volunteer search and rescue partner’
Honorary president of Search and Rescue South Africa (SARZA), Col Ivor Rimmer, shared an overview of ‘SARZA, a volunteer search and rescue partner’. He said that SARZA’s mission and objective is “To provide a competent, efficient volunteer search and rescue service, dedicated to saving human life, that’s able to operate in rough and difficult terrain in support of other services in times of civil disaster or other emergencies.” Col Rimmer said that its first operations were in 1990 and he shared details of their local rescue operations such as the unrest in 2021, the KwaZulu-Natal floods, the Jagersfontein slime dam collapse, the Boksburg tanker explosion etc.
Their international rescue operations included the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, the Japan tsunami in 2011, the Philippines typhoon in 2013, the floods in Malawi in 2015, the Mozambique Cyclone Idia in 2019 and the Turkiye earthquake in 2023.
Col Rimmer also emphasised the importance of continuous training and skill development among its members to effectively handle diverse rescue missions.
Trevor Abrahams: Wildland Fire Canada Conference 2024
Working on Fire’s managing director, Trevor Abrahams, shared some insights on the recently held Wildland Fire Canada Conference 2024 and provided a snapshot of its take home messages:
• Scientific methodologies and social engagement need changing• Community engagements and awareness• Evacuation successes in threatened communities• Enhance prevention and preparedness• Allow credible collaboration• Research engagement• Physical and mental health of those exposed.
Field day
The event included a field day where participants visited a sugar cane farm in New Hanover where several demonstrations were conducted by various suppliers. These included the Red Bull Magirus Deutz fire engine and Trident Africa’s Suleiman Dhliway, who demonstrated the new Trident foam.
André Scheepers of Anco Manufacturing demonstrated their latest compressed air foam system (CAFS), the Anco CAFS 800 firefighting unit.
Jackie de Billot of Vanguard Fire and Safety demonstrated the Pro Pack and several nozzles for foam and water.
This was followed by a visit to the KwaZulu-Natal Fire Protection Association’s airstrip and base in Shafton, where delegates could visit several industry exhibits.
Fire and Rescue International was its official media partner. View our online photo gallery: NMU Fire Symposium 2024
