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Emergency numbers
Area’s
Fire danger index
Fire danger index
Low to moderate
Fires are not likely to ignite. If they do, they are likely to go out without suppression action. There is little flaming combustion. Flame lengths in grassland and plantation forest litter lower than 0.5 m and rates of forward spread less than 0.15 kilometres per hour.
Direct attack feasible: one or a few field crew with basic fire fighting tools easily suppresses any fire that may occur.
High
Fires likely to ignite readily but spread slowly. Flame lengths in grassland and plantation forest litter lower than 1.0 m and rates of forward spread less than 0.3 kilometres per hour.
Direct attack feasible: fires safely approached on foot. Suppression is readily achieved by direct manual attack methods.
Very high
Fires ignite readily and spread rapidly, burning in the surface layers below trees. Flame lengths in grasslands and plantation forests between 1 and 2m, and rates of forward spread between 0.3 and 1.5 kilometres per hour.
Direct attack constrained: fires not safe to approach on foot for more than very short periods. Best forms of control should combine water tankers and back burning from fire control lines.
Severe
Fires ignited readily and spread very rapidly, with local crowning and short-range spotting. Flame lengths between 2 and 5 m, and rates of forward spread between 1.5 and 2.0 kilometres per hour.
Direct attack not feasible: fires cannot be approached at all and back burning, combined with aerial support are the only effective means to combat fires. Equipment such as water tankers should concentrate efforts on the protection of houses.
Extreme
Conflagrations are likely in plantation forests, stands of alien invasive trees and shrubs, sugar cane plantations, and fynbos. Long range fire spotting is likely in these fuel types. Rates of forward spread of head fires can exceed 4.0 kilometres per hour and flame lengths will be in the order of 5 – 15 m or more.
Any form of fire control is likely to be precluded until the weather changes. Back burning dangerous and best avoided.
Catastrophic
A serious, critical, catastrophic event.
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