Veld fire near sewage works

BURNING reeds near the Homevale Waste Water Treatment Works at around lunchtime yesterday saw large plumes of black clouds over the city.

According to municipal spokesperson, Sello Matsie, the city’s emergency services were called out to the scene to extinguish the flames.

“It appears that the reeds and surrounding veld caught alight and are burning,” Matsie said.

He added that officials from the fire department were on the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

A veld fire in the same area about 18 months ago resulted in dried sludge, dumped previously from the sewage works, catching alight and smouldering for more than a month.

At the time residents were up in arms about the rancid pollution and constant smoke, which they claimed affected their health and quality of living, especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions like asthma.

Matsie said yesterday that it did not appear that the sludge was burning this time and added that the heavy smoke was coming from the reeds and veld.

The sludge was dumped in the area approximately 10 to 15 years ago and had dried out and hardened to a cement-like consistency, making it a perfect burning fuel.

Yesterday’s veld fire came in the wake of a warning from the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development of runaway veld fires, caused by arid grass, together with prevailing winds.

More than 60 000 hectares of grazing land, property, wildlife and livestock were destroyed in a devastating fire that ravaged large areas of land in the Boshof district last weekend.

Extremely hot temperatures have been predicted for the city again, rising to 39 degrees Celsius over the weekend.