Letaba Fire Protection Association

01/09/2026

20260901 Fire at Magoebaskloof pass stop n go

09:56 Report came into the Letaba FPa Disptch office of a fire at the Magoebaskloof Stop n Go. Ruan Henning asked to check what the situation is
10:00 Bester du Bussion en-route
10:22 It was reported that Bester Du Bussion is on site with bakkie sakkie and 8 pax to fight the fire

10:45 Fire under control. Du Bussion team mopping up.

11:43 Fire extinguished.

1 tractor with spray cart and 1 person left on standby to keep an eye on it.
1.2 ha of pine lost on an absentee landlords property from an unlawful burn.

of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Tzaneen Municipality

01/09/2026

🔥🚒 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬 🌿

What a fantastic day of learning, fun and fire awareness at Craighead Primary School, beautifully situated at the foot of the magnificent Wolkberg Wilderness! 🌄
The Letaba FPA Awareness Team, together with Greater Tzaneen Municipality and Mopani Fire & Rescue, reached an incredible 494 learners and 13 educators.
From learning how to stay safe around fire at home and what to do when a fire starts, to seeing firefighting equipment in action — including an unexpected spray from the fire unit! 💦🚒 , it was a day packed with knowledge, excitement, fun and games.

🔥 Teaching fire safety today helps build safer communities tomorrow!


Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality Greater Tzaneen Municipality

01/09/2026

🌸🔥 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗦𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗔 𝗙𝗣𝗔! 🔥🌸

Hello, Spring! 🌱☀️ A new season brings fresh growth, warmer days and beautiful landscapes, but also a renewed need for fire awareness and safety.
Let’s welcome spring responsibly, protect our communities and keep our beautiful landscapes safe. 💚🌿

Stay safe. Stay fire-wise. Have a fantastic Spring Day! 🌸🔥

31/08/2026

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲𝟬𝟴𝟯𝟭 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲

10:09 A call came into to the Letaba FPA dispatch office reporting a fire in Flora Park
10:09 Letaba FPA skid unit dispatched. Fire Department dispatched
10:12 Confirmed that the fire is at the Flora Park Cemetery
10:59 Identified that structural buildings on the other side of the fire are potentially at risk
12:42 Fire under control.

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality Greater Tzaneen Municipality

30/08/2026

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲𝟬𝟴𝟯𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗮/𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲

13:54 Huge amounts of smoke reported North West of Haenertsburg
14:10 Johannes Grobbler close to Houtbosdorp is trying to locate the fire.
14:49 Johannes flew his drone and found a very large veldfire close to Mailula village burning in an easterly direction.

Images courtesy of Johannes Grobbler

of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

30/08/2026

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲𝟬𝟴𝟯𝟬 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲

10:36 Call came into the Letaba FPA Dispatch office of a fire in the Deerpark direction
10:43 Marnus de Beer has offered to go to the fire.
11:02 Marnus reported that the fire is inside a mango orchard just past Marama Farm
11:02 Marnus asking for extra water to assist with fighting the fire.
11:11 Reported that the fire is extinguished n the top side and stopped from jumping to the neighbouring mango orchard.
11:27 Wind has changed direction and extra help is required.
11:29 Tzaneen Emergency Support Team with the Letaba FPA skid unit has been dispatched to that fire.
11:50 It is reported that the fire is under control. Just a few hotspots still need attention and mopping up being done
12:15 Tzaneen emergency Support Team done with mopping up – All is safe
12:22 All teams standing down

Thanks to all the volunteers once again stepping up to assist their communities.

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality

28/08/2026

🔥🚒 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗢 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗘!🚒🔥

What an exciting day of learning at the Letaba FPA base in Politsi!
We welcomed 67 learners and 10 educators from Shikhati Primary School, who got a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prevent, detect and fight veld fires.

✈️ The learners saw our spotter plane and Huey helicopter and learned how aerial resources support firefighting operations.
🚒 Modjadjiskloof Fire & Rescue also joined us, giving the learners a closer look at firefighting and rescue equipment.
📡 At the Letaba FPA dispatch office, learners discovered how fire incidents are monitored, communicated and coordinated.

And the questions kept coming! 🙋♀️🙋♂️ From firefighting equipment to which high school subjects can lead to a career in firefighting, their curiosity and enthusiasm were fantastic to see.

Today’s learners are tomorrow’s leaders — and perhaps even tomorrow’s firefighters! 🔥👩🚒👨🚒

A big thank you to Shikhati Primary School, the educators and Modjadjiskloof Fire & Rescue for making this an inspiring day of learning.

Fire education today. Safer communities tomorrow. 🔥

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality Greater Letaba Municipality

28/08/2026

𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗔 𝗙𝗣𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘

Due to the 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅 (𝗙𝗗𝗜) 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, the 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮 𝗙𝗣𝗔 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟴 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁.

⚠️ 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧: The fire prohibition rules remain in effect.
🔥 NO burning of any kind is approved by Letaba FPA.
The Dispatch Office will reopen tomorrow, Saturday 29 August.
Please continue to act responsibly and help keep our communities and environment safe. 🌿🔥

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality Greater Tzaneen Municipality

28/08/2026

🔥 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘 𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗦𝗘? 𝗟𝗘𝗧’𝗦 𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗦!🔥

When fire danger is high, myths can be dangerous. Knowing the facts can help protect your property, your neighbours and your community.

🚫 MYTH: “It’s okay to burn if it’s early morning.”
✅ FACT: If a fire prohibition is in place, the restriction applies regardless of the time of day. Always check the current restrictions before lighting any fire.

🌬️ MYTH: “There’s no wind, so I’m safe.”
❌ FACT: Wind conditions can change rapidly, affecting fire behaviour and spread. Never underestimate a seemingly calm fire.

🌾 MYTH: “It’s only a small fire. It won’t spread.”
❌ FACT: Small fires can escape control, and embers can travel significant distances, potentially starting spot fires ahead of the main fire.

🚜 MYTH: “Only commercial farmers need to comply.”
❌ FACT: Fire prevention responsibilities apply to landowners, not just commercial farmers. The NVFFA places duties on owners to take measures to prevent and manage veldfires.

🔥 THE BOTTOM LINE
Don't rely on assumptions when it comes to fire.
Know the rules. Check the conditions. Prepare responsibly.

👉 TRUE or FALSE?
What other fire-season myth have you heard? Drop it in the comments and let’s bust it! 👇
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Mopani District Municipality Greater Tzaneen Municipality Letaba Municipality

28/08/2026

Information courtesy of Storm Report SA

🔥 EL NIÑO JUST GOT A LOT MORE SERIOUS

The latest NOAA Climate Prediction Center update, issued 24 August 2026, has significantly raised the stakes for the upcoming El Niño.

🌊 El Niño is already present and strengthening.

The latest Pacific Ocean temperatures are running at:

🌡️ Niño 3.4: +1.8°C
🌡️ Niño 3: +2.5°C
🌡️ Niño 1+2: +3.2°C

But it's the forecast that has caught our attention.

📈 The CPC now gives a GREATER THAN 90% chance of a VERY STRONG El Niño from September–November through November–January 2026/27.

Even more remarkable: there is now a 69% chance that the October–December 2026 El Niño could become a HISTORIC EVENT — exceeding the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950.

The ocean is already showing strong support for continued development, with above-average heat content beneath the equatorial Pacific and strengthening subsurface warmth across the east-central and eastern Pacific.

And this is where things get particularly interesting for South Africa.

A very strong El Niño does not mean we can simply declare that South Africa will be hot, dry or storm-free. ENSO is a large-scale climate driver, not a weather forecast.

But if this event continues strengthening as forecast, it could have a major influence on the atmospheric circulation patterns affecting Southern Africa during the 2026/27 summer.

This is no longer a case of “Will El Niño develop?”

It is now: HOW STRONG WILL IT BECOME? 🌎🔥

And if the current forecast verifies, we could be watching one of the most significant El Niño events in the modern observational record.

The 2026/27 summer is getting VERY interesting.