Fire trucks for Harkerville

PLETTENBERG BAY - SANParks' Garden Route National Park acquired two brand-new state-of-the-art firefighting vehicles to bolster efforts to contain veld fires in the area.

The vehicles were unveiled at the Harkerville section of the park between Plett and Knysna on Monday 23 August. Garden Route National Park planning manager Len du Plessis said a big part of the motivation to acquire the vehicles was that the region is located in a fire prone environment.

“Fire is a major ecological driver in the natural system," he said.

Large tracts of the park consist of fynbos that needs fire to ensure natural patterns and processes. "To this purpose the Garden

Route National Park needs to have an integrated fire management strategy in place.

“This strategy entails a fine balance between allowing fires as a natural process and protecting assets, lives and livelihoods," Du Plessis explained.

Obtaining the latest in state-of-the-art firefighting vehicles ensures that the park can manage veld fires better.

"The addition of these vehicles will not only benefit SANParks, but will also contribute to the overall fire readiness of the region," said Du Plessis.

"Veld fires do not know any boundaries and integrated veld fire management on a landscape scale entails collaboration by the major role players." – Yolande Stander

Photo: Ewald Stander From left: Victor Mokoena, Vuyiswa Radebe, Sindi Ngongoma, Johann du Plessis, Len du Plessis and Sandra Taljaard at the unveiling of two fire trucks in Harkerville.