STANDING STRONG AGAINST THE FLAMES
Thaba Fire & Rescue tackles three major veld fires in one week

Thabazimbi – The brave volunteers of Thaba Fire & Rescue faced a challenging few days as three separate veld fires broke out between 13 and 16 September 2025. Working side by side with emergency partners and community members, they battled the blazes until all were safely under control.

Please note: these incidents do not include the fire at Neon Moon pub in Thabazimbi, which will be covered in a separate article.

Fire 1 – Ext 37 blaze
On Saturday evening, 13 September 2025, a fire broke out behind Extension 37 at around 22:30. Firefighters worked tirelessly for two hours and finally declared the fire under control just after midnight.

Fire 2 – Group 5 incident
On Sunday afternoon, 14 September, another fire started near Group 5 at around 15:30. Thaba Fire & Rescue, supported by Wilmed Emergency Services, managed to secure the area by 19:30.

Fire 3 – Mooivallei veld fire
Just two days later, on Tuesday, 16 September, a veld fire ignited near Mooivallei shortly before 14:00. Crews remained on scene late into the evening, with final monitoring completed after 01:00 the next morning. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, though large tracts of grassland were lost to the flames. Wilmed EMS once again provided critical assistance on site.

COMMUNITY HEROES AT WORK
Thaba Fire & Rescue is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers who dedicate their own time, fuel, and resources to protect the community. Director Angelique Loots emphasised the importance of ongoing community support: “Every call-out reminds us why we do this — to protect lives, homes, and the environment. But we cannot do it alone. We are ordinary people giving our time and resources for an extraordinary cause. Community donations and support keep our teams moving.”

Main photo: Flames raged behind Extension 37 on Saturday night, but by 00:30 Thaba Fire & Rescue had the fire contained.