Calls for provincial state of disaster in North West following wildfires

The North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association is calling for the declaration of a provincial state of disaster after raging wildfires ravaged hundreds of thousands of hectares of land across the province. 

Farmers are counting their losses after the wildfires destroyed vital grazing land and killed large numbers of livestock and game.  

Eric Thabo Stoch, Chairperson of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association, says, “The Amalia/Myra complex fires have consumed approximately 55 000 hectares of land, inflicting a staggering estimated economic loss of R357 500 to the region. Fires cause instant droughts. Animals need food and water today. Disaster management unfortunately takes a long time to get their act together to be able to assist during these times of disaster. NWUFPA is requesting that a provincial state of disaster be declared with immediate effect.” 

Director for Sustainable Resource Management in the Department of Agriculture, Wally Mmutle says they have written to their national counterpart as well as the provincial disaster management authorities.  

”So far up until last week, we it was reported that more than 367 thousand hectares, that burned in the whole province that is excluding fires that happened, over the weekend. Just based on the burn scars, we will need at least R132 million to assist the farmers. Four people have been reported dead already, killed by the fires,” says Mmutle.