Africa-Press – Namibia. VELD fires around Windhoek have ravaged 2 000 hectares of land in the last three days, and continue to rage at Avis Dam.
VELD fires around Windhoek have ravaged 2 000 hectares of land in the last three days, and continue to rage at Avis Dam.
Carlo Louw, the section head of operations at the City of Windhoek fire brigade, yesterday said the fire started on Tuesday after an unknown member of the public allegedly threw a fire lighter in the grass.
“We’ve been in this area for the last three days, and we were informed someone set a fire lighter on the grass,” Louw said yesterday.
He said the fire brigade is currently facing veld fire season amid August winds.
“As we all know, the season we are in is very windy, making it very challenging for us, but with the help of the public we were able to stop the fire. However, it lit up again this morning,” he said.
Louw cautioned members of the public to be careful when dealing with flames.
“Homeowners and business people should make sure not to leave flames unattended and operate in clean areas,” he said.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday at Avis Dam, Changi Ndumba, a security guard, said the fire started on Tuesday while he was on duty.
“Three men visited the dam, and they alerted me to the smoke, but unfortunately by the time I got there it was too late to stop the fire,” he said.
Ndumba said he immediately ran to inform the area’s management, who called the fire brigade.
The Namibian previously reported on a veld fire which threatened the Groot Aub area and destroyed about 17 farms and took one life. This was according to Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda.
The damage is estimated to have spread over 60 000ha to 70 000ha, Muyunda said at the time. According to a preliminary report by the City of Windhoek, the man who succumbed to the fire at the time was also the main cause of the fire.
He allegedly lit a cigarette and fell asleep in the nearby grass.
Khomas police deputy commissioner Ismael Basson this week said: “We have been informed of the fire which was headed to the Finkenstein area, but the situation is currently under control.”
Volunteering to extinguish the fire this week were employees from D Dresselhaus Truck and Repair Eduardo Manzembe, Linus Uupindi, and Wilmar Fourie.
“We decided to help the fire brigade, because the fire was spreading very fast because of the wind,” Manzembe said.
“This is a very strong fire, and the wind makes it almost impossible to completely stop it,” he said.
Carlo Louw, the section head of operations at the City of Windhoek fire brigade, yesterday said the fire started on Tuesday after an unknown member of the public allegedly threw a fire lighter in the grass.
“We’ve been in this area for the last three days, and we were informed someone set a fire lighter on the grass,” Louw said yesterday.
He said the fire brigade is currently facing veld fire season amid August winds.
“As we all know, the season we are in is very windy, making it very challenging for us, but with the help of the public we were able to stop the fire. However, it lit up again this morning,” he said.
Louw cautioned members of the public to be careful when dealing with flames.
“Homeowners and business people should make sure not to leave flames unattended and operate in clean areas,” he said.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday at Avis Dam, Changi Ndumba, a security guard, said the fire started on Tuesday while he was on duty.
“Three men visited the dam, and they alerted me to the smoke, but unfortunately by the time I got there it was too late to stop the fire,” he said.
Ndumba said he immediately ran to inform the area’s management, who called the fire brigade.
The Namibian previously reported on a veld fire which threatened the Groot Aub area and destroyed about 17 farms and took one life. This was according to Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda.
The damage is estimated to have spread over 60 000ha to 70 000ha, Muyunda said at the time. According to a preliminary report by the City of Windhoek, the man who succumbed to the fire at the time was also the main cause of the fire.
He allegedly lit a cigarette and fell asleep in the nearby grass.
Khomas police deputy commissioner Ismael Basson this week said: “We have been informed of the fire which was headed to the Finkenstein area, but the situation is currently under control.”
Volunteering to extinguish the fire this week were employees from D Dresselhaus Truck and Repair Eduardo Manzembe, Linus Uupindi, and Wilmar Fourie.
“We decided to help the fire brigade, because the fire was spreading very fast because of the wind,” Manzembe said.
“This is a very strong fire, and the wind makes it almost impossible to completely stop it,” he said.
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