During the winter months, people living in the De Kaap valley inhale polluted air and have to tolerate smut falling from the sky caused by fires. Because of the surrounding mountains the polluted air is stagnant in the valleys for weeks on end. 
Who is to blame? One resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, believes sugarcane growers are the major role players in polluting the air during winter months. She previously lived on the KwaZulu Natal south coast and said she could recognise cane smut.
‘Sugar cane growers can’t bear all the blame’ says Cas Du Preez, chairman of the De Kaap farmer’s association. Wild fires and firebreaks are common during the dry winter months, he said. 

One of the worst veld fires was experienced last Friday, when many hectares of vegetation went up in smoke. Deon du Plessis, a cane grower on the Badplaas-road told Barberton Times that the cane had to be burned the day before cutting. Farmers had a specific window of time in which they could burn cane to be delivered the mills. He said usually took place from April to December every year. In the process they had to adjust to natural phenomena such as wind changing direction and could not prevent the smut form being blown towards the town. Du Plessis said farmers had to adhere to a burning code, according to which they were required to exercise extreme caution. Wind, speed and direction could, however, change at any time. No cane burning should take place when wind direction was such that a sensitive area would be affected. Burning of cane tops after harvesting should be avoided as this was one of the major causes of smut and smoke pollution. 

The Sappi Twello District, east and south-east of Barberton, comprises 25.000 hectare of land, of which half is planted with commercial tree species, and the rest managed in its natural state. Sappi’s regional public affairs manager, Elsabe Coetzee said that Sappi was very conscious of the possible impact of smoke on the Barberton community. “While every effort is made to minimise the impact of our burning operations, we have a legal obligation to carry out controlled burns in order to ensure that uncontrolled fires are contained and do not pose a danger to surrounding communities and property,” she said. Sappi’s planned burning for the Barberton District started in April and would conclude at the end of July. The burning is limited to its properties, unless they had a written agreement with neighbouring owners. The company often assists in fighting wild fires occurring on adjacent properties. This was done as a service to the community and as a measure to prevent damage to its own property. According to Coetzee, recent technical problems experienced with the Lomati Mill incinerator also caused excessive smoke emissions. The problem was immediately addressed, and an alternative means of processing the bark was implemented at significant cost. 

Last Friday Barbertonians witnessed one of the most destructive veld fires this winter. As reported in last week’s Barberton Times, everyone should be involved in preventing veld fires. 

Val Charlton from the Working on Fire program said this was the time of the year that many landowners burned under controlled conditions to reduce high fuel loads caused by summer. Burning was carried out as an integrated veld or forest management practice to reduce the risk of damage and danger from a wild fire.