SAWS: Red Level 10 veld fire warning for North West and Free State on Election Day
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Red Level 10 warning for veld fire conditions in nine North West municipalities and two in the Free State, valid from 09:00 to 17:59 today, Wednesday 4 November.
By Staff Reporter · Published
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Red Level 10 warning for veld fire conditions, valid from 09:00 to 17:59 today, Wednesday 4 November.1
The warning, issued by the SAWS Free State Regional Office, covers these areas:1
- North West: Mamusa (Schweizer-Reneke), Mahikeng, Ratlou, Lekwa-Teemane (Bloemhof), Kagisano-Molopo (Tosca), JB Marks (Ventersdorp), Naledi (Vryburg), Greater Taung and Moretele (Makapanstad).
- Free State: Tswelopele (Hoopstad) and Nala (Bothaville).
Level 10 is the highest level on SAWS’s impact-based warning scale.2 SAWS says “conditions are such that the FDI index is above 75”. FDI is the fire danger index. Under these conditions, SAWS says, “fires may develop and spread rapidly resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and/or animal life.”1 The warning describes conditions in which fires could start and spread quickly. It does not mean fires are burning.
- What changed: the Red Level 10 warning takes effect at 09:00 and runs until 17:59.
- Who is affected: farmers, rural communities and anyone travelling in the eleven listed municipalities today.
- What you can do: do not burn anything outdoors today, and report smoke or flames to your local fire service at once. In an emergency, call 112 from a mobile phone.
SAWS’s instruction reads: “All personnel and equipment should be removed from the field. Fire teams, labour and equipment are to be placed on full stand-by. At first sign of smoke, every possible measure should be taken in order to bring the fire under control in the shortest possible time.”1
Today is also Election Day, and voting stations are open from 07:00 to 21:00. Voters travelling to rural voting stations in these areas should take care on the roads, watch for smoke that can cut visibility, and not throw cigarette ends from vehicles. Our Emfuleni elections guide has more on today’s vote.
More: How SAWS warning levels work ยท All warnings
- Veld fire conditions warning, Level 10, 4 November 2026 (Free State Regional Office), South African Weather Service
- Impact-based warning matrix, South African Weather Service
Official source: https://www.weathersa.co.za/home/warnings
SAWS is credited for every warning we report. See our editorial policy.
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