In an emergency, get everyone out first and call for help on 112 from a cellphone, or your local fire brigade. This guide is general information; always follow the manufacturer's instructions and local regulations.
Veld fires spread fast in dry, windy conditions, and in South Africa the law puts real duties on landowners to prevent them. Under the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998, owners whose land carries a veld fire risk must prepare and maintain firebreaks, be ready to fight fires, and must not light fires in the open air when a high fire danger warning is in force. Here’s what that means in practice, and how to protect your home.
The law in brief
| Section of Act 101 of 1998 | What it says (summarised) |
|---|---|
| Chapter 2 (sections 3–8) | Landowners may form Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) to predict, prevent, manage and fight veld fires in an area; FPAs are registered under section 4 |
| Section 9–10 | A national fire danger rating system. When the rating is high or extreme, a warning is published, and while it applies no one may light, use or maintain a fire in the open air in that region |
| Section 12 | Owners on whose land there’s a risk of veld fire must prepare and maintain firebreaks on their side of the boundary with adjoining land |
| Section 13 | Firebreaks must be wide and long enough to have a reasonable chance of stopping a fire, not cause soil erosion, and be reasonably free of inflammable material |
| Section 17 | Owners must have equipment, protective clothing and trained people to fight fires, as prescribed or as reasonably required, and arrange for responsible people to be present when they’re away |
| Section 34 | In a civil claim for veld fire damage, an owner who isn’t an FPA member is presumed negligent until they prove otherwise |
This is a summary, not legal advice. The Act has been amended and is backed by regulations, and your FPA or municipality may have extra rules. Read the Act on a reliable source such as acts.co.za or the Government Gazette, and speak to your local FPA or fire protection officer.
Firebreaks
Who must make them
Section 12 places the duty on every owner on whose land there’s a risk of a veld fire starting, burning or spreading. “Owner” in the Act is broad and can include people in control of land, such as lessees. In practice this mostly affects farms, smallholdings, plots and other properties bordering veld, plantations or fynbos. The Minister can grant exemptions.
What a good firebreak looks like
The Act doesn’t set a single width. It says a firebreak must, given the local weather, climate, terrain and vegetation:
- be wide and long enough to give a reasonable chance of stopping a fire spreading to or from neighbouring land,
- not cause soil erosion, and
- be reasonably free of inflammable material that could carry a fire across it.
Your FPA’s rules may specify widths or methods for your area. Common methods include:
| Method | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt firebreak | A strip is burnt under controlled conditions | Must follow the notice and safety rules below; never in high fire danger |
| Mowed or slashed | Vegetation cut short and cleared | Needs repeating as grass regrows; remove cut material |
| Ploughed or graded | Bare soil strip | Erosion risk, especially on slopes |
| Herbicide | Vegetation killed off | Follow product labels and environmental rules |
Burning a firebreak: the notice rules
Section 12 sets out how to burn a firebreak on a boundary:
- Agree dates with your neighbours and tell your FPA if there is one. If you can’t agree, give neighbours at least 14 days’ written notice.
- Neighbours must take part: burn on the same day, or be present (or send someone), with enough people to stop the fire spreading.
- Don’t burn if the FPA objects, if a high fire danger warning has been published for the region, or if conditions make it dangerous.
- An FPA may have its own approved rules that replace some of these steps for members.
Check whether you also need a burning permit from your municipality or fire service. Many districts require one.
Fire Protection Associations
An FPA is a group of landowners (and often municipalities, state land managers and forestry companies) that works together on veld fire prevention and response in an area. Benefits of joining include coordinated burning, shared equipment and information, fire danger alerts and mutual help in a fire. Under section 34, membership also means you aren’t presumed negligent in a civil claim if a fire starts on or spreads from your land. Ask your local municipality or fire service which FPA covers your area.
The fire danger index
The Act’s fire danger rating system is put into practice through daily fire danger index (FDI) forecasts. The South African Weather Service issues warnings for veld fire conditions, and municipal and news alerts commonly describe an FDI above 75 as the level at which fires can develop and spread rapidly.
When a high or extreme warning applies:
- Don’t light any fire in the open air, including braais, rubbish fires and burns, in the affected area. This is a legal prohibition under section 10, not just advice.
- Postpone firebreak burns.
- Avoid sparks: welding, grinding and mowing in dry grass can start fires.
- Watch for smoke and be ready to act on your fire plan.
Check the SAWS forecasts and warnings and your FPA’s or municipality’s alerts during the fire season. The main season is roughly winter to early spring in the summer-rainfall interior, and summer in the winter-rainfall Western Cape, but follow local guidance.
Protecting your home
Even on a suburban plot near veld, you can make your home much harder to burn:
- Clear a defensible space around buildings: keep grass short and remove dead plants, leaves and branches, especially close to the house.
- Clean gutters and roofs of dry leaves and pine needles.
- Move woodpiles, gas cylinders and fuel away from the house. See our best braai wood guide for storing wood sensibly.
- Thatch roofs need special attention; ask your insurer and a thatch specialist about fire retardants and lightning protection.
- Prune trees so branches don’t overhang the roof.
- Keep hoses, a water supply and a fire extinguisher ready, and check that your pump works without electricity during outages.
- Make your fire pit or braai safe: build it on bare ground or paving, away from grass, and never leave it burning. See our fire pit guide and how to make a braai fire, and douse coals completely when you’re done.
- Never throw cigarette butts onto verges or out of car windows.
If a veld fire is coming
- Call for help early. From a cellphone, dial 112. Save your local municipal fire number and your FPA’s number before the season starts.
- Leave early if told to, or if you feel unsafe. Smoke, heat and fast-moving fire fronts kill. Don’t wait until roads are blocked.
- If you’re staying because evacuation is no longer safe, go inside a solid building, close windows and doors, and stay away from windows.
- Never try to outrun a fire uphill or drive into smoke.
- Alert your neighbours and your FPA.
- Only fight small spot fires that you can put out safely with an exit behind you. Leave the main fire to firefighters.
FAQ
Is it compulsory to have a firebreak in South Africa?
Under section 12 of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998, every owner on whose land there’s a risk of veld fire starting, burning or spreading must prepare and maintain firebreaks on their side of the boundary with adjoining land, unless they’ve been exempted.
How wide must a firebreak be?
The Act doesn’t set a fixed width. It must be wide and long enough to give a reasonable chance of stopping a fire, given local weather, terrain and vegetation, and be reasonably free of flammable material. Your FPA may set specific requirements.
Can I braai when there’s a high fire danger warning?
No. Once a high or extreme fire danger warning has been published for your region, section 10 of the Act prohibits lighting, using or maintaining a fire in the open air there.
What is a Fire Protection Association?
A registered group of landowners and other land managers who work together to prevent and fight veld fires in an area. Members aren’t presumed negligent under section 34 of the Act if a fire spreads from their land.
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