1.1Specify the programme purpose and indicate how the proposed curriculum will contribute towards the intended outcomes:
The SNRM aims at educating and equipping learners with the skills to enable them to contribute to the dynamic discipline of natural resource management by managing veldfires strategically and tactically under guidance of a senior manager. This qualification will:
- Provide the learner with relevant and appropriate knowledge and the necessary theoretical and practical skills, experience and expertise demanded of the natural resource practitioner, specifically in the discipline of veldfire management.
- Equip learners for a sustainable and profitable career in the veldfire management sector.
- Promote the economy of the country by creating employment, minimize risks in terms of wildfire occurrence, and contribute to environmental quality and health.
The curriculum and modules of this qualification are designed to focus on technical as well as strategic and tactical aspects of veldfire management which are critical success issues to prevent, protect assets against veldfires and to suppress veldfires. The qualifying learner will be competent to work as a veldfire manager in government, municipalities, non-governmental organizations such as fire protection associations, as well as the organized forestry and conservation sector.
1.2Indicate the Exit-Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria:
Exit Level Outcomes:
1.Strategically and effectively assess and manage the fire environment in order to protect infrastructure, human lives and the biophysical environment.
2.Demonstrate knowledge, skills and values to strategically and tactically suppress veldfires.
3.Demonstrate knowledge, skills and values to implement fire as a management tool for maintaining the ecological integrity of vegetation types.
4.Effectively manage all human and financial resources required for veldfire management.
5.Use technology, engineering concepts and infrastructure effectively for veldfire management.
6.Demonstrate an understanding of applicable legislation relevant to veldfire management.
7.Integrate relevant activities with existing fire management systems in a region.
Assessment Criteria:
Exit Level Outcome 1: Strategically and effectively assess and manage the fire environment in order to protect infrastructure, human lives and the biophysical environment.
Associated assessment criteria
- Fire behaviour is explained in terms of the influence of fuel, weather and topography.
- Risks in the fire environment are identified through assessment of the vulnerability and the proximity and extent of hazards in relation to assets. (Range: human lives, value and environmental resilience)
- Defensive strategies and tactics are developed and implemented to eliminate hazards and protect prioritised risks.
Exit Level Outcome 2: Demonstrate knowledge, skills and values to strategically and tactically suppress veldfires.
Associated assessment criteria
- Resources are maintained and applied effectively to suppress fires and minimize damage and losses to assets.
- Fires are detected early and accurately to ensure timeous fire suppression
- Fire fighting crews and resources are mobilized and deployed to initiate initial and extended fire suppression actions.
Exit Level Outcome 3: Demonstrate knowledge, skills and values to implement fire as a management tool for maintaining the ecological integrity of vegetation types.
Associated assessment criteria
- Fire regimes in different vegetation types are identified in terms of season and frequency of fire as well as type and intensity of fire
- Prescribed burns are planned and executed effectively to facilitate natural succession of vegetation and optimize water yield in catchment areas.
- Fire breaks and buffer zones are planned and maintained to prevent wild fires to damage vegetation.
Exit Level Outcome 4: Effectively manage all human and financial resources required for veldfire management.
Associated assessment criteria
- Human resources are managed in accordance with the relevant labour legislation.
- Health and safety of the human resource are ensured by providing appropriate training.
- Finances are managed to ensure compliance with budgeted norms.
Exit Level Outcome 5: Use technology, engineering concepts and infrastructure effectively for veldfire management.
Associated assessment criteria
- Infrastructure are planned and maintained to ensure sound fire management
- Most appropriate tools and equipment are selected to suppress fires effectively.
- Modern technology and software are used to manage the veldfire environment and to suppress veldfires effectively.
Exit Level Outcome 6: Demonstrate an understanding of applicable legislation relevant to veldfire management.
Associated assessment criteria
- Applicable legislation isinterpreted to identify the duties and responsibilities of land owners. (Range: The National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) (Act no. 101 of 1998), Forest Act, 1984 (Act No. 122 of 1984); Mountain Catchment Areas Act (Act No. 63 of 1970; Occupational Health Act and Safety Act (Act No. 85 of 1993); Criminal Procedure Act (Act, 1977); Fire Brigade Services Act, (Act No. 99 of 1987); Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, (Act No. 43 of 1983); The Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act and the Disaster Management Act, (Act no 57 of 2002)
- Constituted rules set by Fire Protection Associations (FPA’s) are managed to provide integrated regional fire management.
- Fire Management activities are planned and executed within the boundaries of the applicable legislation.
Exit Level Outcome 7: Integrate relevant activities with existing fire management systems in a region.
Associated assessment criteria
- Fire management activities of different organisations and land owners are integrated within a region to ensure effective fire management.
- Fire management activities of different organisations and land owners are coordinated within a region.
- Fire management plans are drawn up to provide guidelines for fire management within a region.
1.3Provide a brief explanation of how competences developed in the programme are aligned with the appropriate NQF level
Individual modules as well as the programme in general will provide opportunities and engage students to develop and demonstrate their practical and reflective core competences within the domain of Veldfire Management as follows:
- Scope of knowledge and knowledge literacy: - Students will demonstrate integrated knowledge of strategic and tactical management of the environment, human resources, finances, logistics and technology with particular reference to veldfire management. This will include an understanding of and ability to apply and evaluate key terms, concepts, facts, principles, codes and legislation.
Students will be able to gather and evaluate information within the veldfire sector and will understand that it can be contested.
- Method and procedure; and problem solving: Students will demonstrate an understanding of methods of inquiry/investigation and the ability to assess identified problems that may occur within the veldfire context. Problems will be critically reflected upon and evidence based solutions applied.
- Context and systems: Students will be able to manage processes and systems specifically designed to deal with veldfire management, while realizing that problems that may occur are context and system bound.
- Ethics and professional practice: Students will be able to take justifiable decisions and act professionally and accountably whilst practicing as a veldfire manager.
- Accessing, processing and managing information: Students will be able to perform various audit engagements (operational, environmental, benchmarking) within the veldfire context and then manage results responsibly
- Producing and communicating information: Students will be competent in advanced management skills such as the application of organizational behavioural aspects like motivation, communication and teaching performance standards stipulated by statutory laws and constituted by fire protection associations.
- Management of learning and accountability: Students will be able to take full responsibility for their own work, decision making, and use of resources, while, to a lesser extent, be accountable for the decisions and actions of others.
1.4International Comparability: [provide information on the international comparability of a qualification in terms of specific qualifications offered internationally.]
University of Melbourne, Queensland, Australia: Fire in the Australian Landscape. (EVSC30005) (Undergraduate certificate) Course offered by the School of Land & Environment. This course has the following objectives:
- Understand fire behaviour
- Understand factors influence fire intensity, frequency, size, patchiness and seasonality.
- Understand the ecological role of bushfires
- Understand how to live in a bushfire environment
- Learn the impact of climate change on bushfire behaviour
Similarities between the above course offered and the certificate that are proposed by NMMU includes basic understanding of fire behaviour and the fire environment. It also explains the ecological role of fire in the natural environment and outline human safety in the bushfire environment. Students who successfully complete the course will also earn 120 credits within their year of study.
It differs from the certificate in the sense that it does not include the following fire management modules:
- Management of the fire environment
- Legislation
- Fire suppression & prevention
- Financial management
- Technical knowledge of equipment
- Human resource management
2.3LIBRARY AND INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS
2.3.1What are the requirements for each module in terms of library holdings and information retrieval systems? Specify material to be used i.e., prescribed books, hand-outs, books made available in short loan collections, study guides, etc.
PRINT RESOURCES (BOOKS, JOURNALS)Module Code / Resources / Expected no. students
- FPM1001
- FPL1001
- FUM1001
Class notes / 20
- FMP1001
- FEP1001
- FVS1001
E-book:Prevention of Large Wildfires using the
Fire Types Concept. First edition: March 2011.
Supported by: Pau Costa Alcubierre
Marc Castellnou Ribau, Asier Larrañaga Otxoa de Egileor, Marta Miralles Bover, Paul Daniel Kraus. ISBN: 978-84-694-1457-6
Class notes / 20
- FHR1001
- FHR2002
- FEC1002
A Preliminary Assessment of Fire as a Global Conservation Issue.
Global Fire Initiative October 2004
The Nature Conservancy Global Fire Initiative, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312, (850) 668-0827,
To download this document, graphics and subsequent versions, go to:
© 2004 The Nature Conservancy
Class notes / 20
- FIC1002
Class notes / 20
- FIF1002
Fire Management Working Papers
Forestry Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Forest Resources Development service
Forest Management Division
Forestry Department
Working Paper FP/17/E
FAO, Rome, Italy
E-book:Wildfire Origin & Cause Determination Handbook
NWCG Handbook 1 PMS 412-1 May 2005
This publication is available at Copies may be ordered from the Great Basin Cache, National Interagency Fire Center, ATTN: Great Basin Cache Supply Office, 3833 S. Development Ave., Boise ID 83705. Order NFES 1874.
E-book: Ronald L. Myers: Living with Fire- Sustaining Ecosystems & Livelihoods Through Integrated Fire Management
Global Fire Initiative, June 2006 The Nature Conservancy
Global Fire Initiative
13093 Henry Beadel Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
U.S.A.
(850) 668-0827
e-mail:
web site:
© 2006 The Nature Conservancy
Class notes / 20
- FMT1002
United States Department of Agriculture: Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Research Station
General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-231, January 2010
Class notes / 20
- FMP1002
NON-PRINT RESOURCES (Databases, e-books, etc)
Module Code / Resources / Expected no. students
FMT1002 - Fuel Management Techniques / E- Book: Cumulative Watershed Effects of Fuel Management in the Western United States.
United States Department of Agriculture: Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Research Station
General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-231, January 2010 / 20
FIF1002 - Integrated Fire Management / E-book: Fire management Voluntary guidelines, Principles and strategic actions.
Fire Management Working Papers
Forestry Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Forest Resources Development service
Forest Management Division
Forestry Department
Working Paper FP/17/E
FAO, Rome, Italy
E-book:Wildfire Origin & Cause Determination Handbook
NWCG Handbook 1 PMS 412-1 May 2005
This publication is available at Copies may be ordered from the Great Basin Cache, National Interagency Fire Center, ATTN: Great Basin Cache Supply Office, 3833 S. Development Ave., Boise ID 83705. Order NFES 1874.
E-book: Ronald L. Myers: Living with Fire- Sustaining Ecosystems & Livelihoods Through Integrated Fire Management
Global Fire Initiative, June 2006 The Nature Conservancy
Global Fire Initiative
13093 Henry Beadel Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312
U.S.A.
(850) 668-0827
e-mail:
web site:
© 2006 The Nature Conservancy / 20
FVS1001 - Veldfire Suppression / E-book:Prevention of Large Wildfires using the
Fire Types Concept. First edition: March 2011.
Supported by: Pau Costa, Alcubierre
Marc, Castellnou Ribau, Asier Larrañaga, Otxoa de Egileor, Marta Miralles Bover, Paul Daniel Kraus. ISBN: 978-84-694-1457-6 / 20
FEC1002- Fire Ecology and Conservation / E-book: Fire, Ecosystems & People
A Preliminary Assessment of Fire as a Global Conservation Issue.
Global Fire Initiative October 2004
The Nature Conservancy Global Fire Initiative, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32312, (850) 668-0827,
To download this document, graphics and subsequent versions, go to:
© 2004 The Nature Conservancy / 20
Work-Integrated Learning Modules
N/A
3.2.5Indicate how assessment methods are aligned to outcomes, referring also to the mode of delivery, level and needs of students. Also specify how moderation is carried out and when external moderation takes place.
Theoretical assessment: module name / Module code / Assessment methods and ModerationPrinciples of Veldfire Management
Urban Interface Management
Veldfire Suppression
Incident Command
Integrated Fire Management
Fire Management Planning / FPM1001
FUM1001
FVS1001
FIC1002
FIF1002
FMP1002 / Students will do an assignment and write two 50 mark tests (90 min) to acquire a class mark. Formal assessment by the lecturer combined with peer assessment from students will be used to determine marks for group assignments.
A final 3 hour examination (externally moderated) will be written at the end of the semester.
Veldfire Legislation
Financial Management Principles
Veldfire Management Engineering
Human Resource Management I
Human Resource Management II
Fire Ecology and Conservation
Fuel Management Techniques / FPL1001
FMP1001
FEP1001
FHR1001
FHR2002
FEC1002
FMT1002 / Students will do an individual poster assignment with a weight of 20% and write two 50 mark tests (90 min each with a weight of 40% each) to acquire a class mark.
A final 3 hour examination (externally moderated) will be written at the end of the semester.
Syllabuses of all modules as it will appear in the prospectus
Module codeModule nameCredit Value
FPM1001Principles of Veldfire Management 15
Purpose
This module will prepare students to recognise environmental elements contributing to extreme fire behaviour and how to protect a property against damage from fires.
Learning outcomes
After completion of this module students will be able to:
- Assess elements within the environment that can influence fire behaviour.
- Classify fire hazards to map and mitigate them.
- Draw up a fire management plan that will regulate fire management activities.
- Select appropriate tools and equipment to suppress veldfires
- Prevent damage to assets by protecting them against veldfires.
Core content
- Fuel
- Weather
- Topography
- Fire behaviour
- Fire prevention
- Tools & equipment
- Fire belt and buffer zone preparation
Assessment
A class mark consisting of tests and assignments [40%] and a final 3 hour written examination [60%] in June/July.
Pre-requisites for this module
None
Module codeModule nameCredit Value
FPL1001Veldfire Legislation 6
Purpose
This module will prepare students to do fire management within the legislation parameters.
Learning outcomes
After completion of this module students will be able to:
- Interpret the National Veld and Forest Fire (NVFFA) Act no. 101 of 1998 to identify duties and responsibilities of land users and the Government with a specific focus on the establishment and management of Fire Protection Associations (FPA’s).
- Apply company policies and rules that conform to the underlying regulations of the (NVFFA).
- Identify legislation that will regulate fire management activities.
Core content
- National Veld and Forest Fire (NVFFA) Act no. 101 of 1998
- Introduction of other veldfire legislation (Range: Forest Act No. 122 of 1984; Mountain Catchment Areas Act No. 63 of 1970; Relevant Nature conservation Ordinances; Occupational Health Act and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993;Criminal Procedure Act, 1977; Fire Brigade Services Act No. 99 of 1987); Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act No. 43 of 1983;The Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act; Disaster Management Act, 57 (DMA) of 2002 and its associated National Disaster Management Framework (2005))
Assessment
A class mark consisting of tests and assignments [40%] and a final 3 hour written examination [60%] in June/July.
Pre-requisites for this module
None
Module codeModule nameCredit Value
FUM1001Urban Interface Management 7
Purpose
This module will prepare students to protect residents and structures in the urban interface zone threatened by veldfires.
Learning outcomes
After completion of this module students will be able to:
- Assess hazards to identify structures threatened by veldfire.
- Implementing defensive strategies to defend structures against veldfires.
- Demonstrate understanding of evacuation procedures of an urban interface area threatened by fire to ensure safety of residents
- Demonstrate understanding of suppressing of structure fires to minimize fire damage.
Core content