Through the goFPA, landowners in the Overberg can now work strategically with partners to better prevent wildfires, react quicker and more effectively to suppress runaway fires. The Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association operates across the Overberg area in the Western Cape of South Africa, currently covering more than 660,000 hectares (about 60% of the district). The Greater Overberg Fire P
rotection Association actively works to prevent and control wildfires during fire season, over the hot summer months. We help land users in the Overberg to meet their legal requirements. We provide training to land users and their teams, and we facilitate fire management planning, like helping with firebreak planning and the signing of agreements between neighbours. All of this forms part of our Integrated Fire Management assistance. We support stakeholder engagement including with the Fire Brigade, Eskom, Farmersโ Associations, DFFE, Working on Fire, Municipalities, Transnet, CapeNature, SANParks, FynbosFire, NGOs, national government departments, donors, conservancies, landscape initiatives like the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative, and more.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด? We provide coordination, resource procurement and critical information to decision makers to ensure effective and efficient fire-fighting efforts.
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
โข We help you to become legally compliant, as per national regulations
โข We identify high-risk areas and help with risk reduction
โข We support Fire Management Plans
โข We facilitate fire-break planning for communal areas and strategic fire breaks
โข We offer advice on compliance with the law (National Veld and Forest Fire Act)
โข We help map members
โข We offer advice on Integrated Fire Management (including fire breaks, fuel reduction, equipment needed, etc.)
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐:
โข We organise training courses (including courses on Basic Fire Suppression, Controlled Burning, Infield Simulation and more)
โข We provide a daily Fire Danger Index forecast during the fire season
โข We support awareness: Media, Social Media and to the general public
โข We facilitate Fire Management Unit preparedness
๐๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด - ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐:
We are a voluntary association of members and a registered Fire Protection Association under the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (Act 101 of 1998). Membership is our main source of income which allows us to operate and manage the goFPA independently. We receive support from the Overberg District and Overstrand Fire Services and initiate our own fundraising projects. We are always on the lookout for additional funding that will allow us to tackle larger projects to protect our community and support our firefighters.
