Landowners & Fire:

🛈Advantages of FPA Membership

Membership of an FPA brings several advantages, directly to the

member as well as through the capabilities of the FPA itself. These

include:

• No presumption of negligence in civil claims for damage where a fire from the member’s land causes damage or loss to another person. (section 34(1)(b) of the Act).

Presumption of negligence

34. (1) If a person who brings civil proceedings proves that he or she suffered loss from a

veldfire which—

(a) the defendant caused; or

(b) started on or spread from land owned by the defendant,

the defendant is presumed to have been negligent in relation to the veldfire until the contrary is

proved, unless the defendant is a member of a fire protection association in the area where the

fire occurred.

 (2)The presumption in subsection (1) does not exempt the plaintiff from the onus of proving that

any act or omission by the defendant was wrongful.

• The benefits of co-operation in preventing and combating veldfires through the institution of the FPA, within the framework of an agreed veldfire management strategy.

• The cost saving that comes from avoiding duplication with for example disaster management plans and agricultural conservation programmes.

• The protection that comes from the enforceable rules of the FPA.
• The fact that FPA rules are enforceable in the FPA area protects members from the actions of non-members.

• Advice and assistance to members in meeting the statutory requirements for readiness for fire fighting, including skills development.

• The registered fire protection officer (FPO) of an FPA receives powers to enforce the Act and FPA rules.

• Improved communication among members, for example, of fire hazard conditions. FDI. This is done through e-mail and SMS messages.

• Improved communication between members and the Minister and other role-players.

• Free access to research commissioned by the Minister on the prevention and combating of veldfires and on the use of controlled fire in sustainable forest management.

• Possible relief from certain prevention measures, for example, the duty to create and maintain firebreaks, depending on the contents of the FPA’s veldfire management strategy.

• The overall benefits of progressive building of capacity within the FPA and thus among its members, with overall reduction in the risks of veldfires.

• The possibility of assistance from the Minister.

• Possible decreased insurance premiums because the risk of veldfire is less. Most insurers will not pay out if not a member of an FPA.

• Improved powers of negotiation by virtue of being a member of a group of owners.

• Co-operation among rural owners and managers of land is required for the effective management of veldfires. The Act provides a framework for a consistent way for owners to organise and collaborate in veldfire management.

• Rural landowners need to have a collective self-sufficiency to manage veldfires because it is too costly for government to provide these services.

• Improved communication between FPA members.

• Stronger negotiation powers by virtue of being part of an organised group.

• Localized weather data and Fire Danger Index (FDI) notifications and predictions.

• Control room to monitor and assist with dispatch of resources to veldfires.

🛈How to become FPA Member:

Click on Register to become FPA Member:

When you have completed the Registration form:

• You will get an Invoice for Membership 2 to 3 work days after the 1stApril.
• Payment due end of April.
• Membership FEES is R500 PLUS R0.50 per Hectares for all Included Properties.
• Now You need to go and complete your Farm Risk Plan.