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Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613817826967552 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Laloux, Dylan |
| author2 | Zweig, Patricia |
| author_browse | Laloux, Dylan Zweig, Patricia |
| author_facet | Zweig, Patricia Laloux, Dylan |
| author_sort | Laloux, Dylan |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136214 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:09.814Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136214 Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa Laloux, Dylan Zweig, Patricia Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies. Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Laloux, D. 2026. Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/376f2b21-c256-485c-ac6e-01c64d0a8f97 Fire hazards pose a critical challenge for South Africa’s small towns, where limited resources and fragmented governance constrain effective response and prevention. Reitz, a small service town in the Free State surrounded by agricultural activities and grasslands, illustrates how ecological and structural risks converge with weak local capacity to heighten vulnerability. The problem addressed in this study is the inadequate fire management and response systems in the town. The aim of the study was to determine the fire management and response capacity in the town. A mixed-methods design was used: a desktop assessment was employed to map the town’s-built environment, fire-prone areas, and special risks, while semi-structured interviews with municipal officials, fire services, and business stakeholders provided qualitative insights. Findings reveal that Reitz lacks a dedicated, well-equipped fire station, relies on outdated vehicles and equipment with little to no support within the first hour of a serious incident, and depends heavily on the farming community for response during minor wildfires. Structural fires, regional wildfires, flammable or hazardous substances and chemicals in transit or positioned within the local municipality would have no response capability and rely on fire brigades from outside the municipality to assist. Criminality, failing infrastructure, financial constraints and limited human capital all contribute to the complex issues around fire services in Reitz. Governance is fragmented, legislative obligations are poorly enforced, and critical assets such as silos and informal settlements remain highly exposed. Climatic variability further amplifies risk. The study concludes that small towns require integrated, multi-scalar approaches that combine municipal obligations with strengthened partnerships, targeted investment in infrastructure, and the use of Integrated Fire Management (IFM). IFM focuses on awareness, adaptive planning, community resilience, increased response capacity, and the necessary inputs for firefighters to save lives, livelihoods and instil trust within the local community that there is sufficient fire service capacity in the local vicinity. Masters 2026-04-28T09:48:36Z 2026-04-28T09:48:36Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136214 en Stellenbosch University 113 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Laloux, Dylan Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title | Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title_full | Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title_short | Fire management and response in rural service towns: A case study of Reitz in the Free State province, South Africa |
| title_sort | fire management and response in rural service towns a case study of reitz in the free state province south africa |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136214 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lalouxdylan firemanagementandresponseinruralservicetownsacasestudyofreitzinthefreestateprovincesouthafrica |