@gavvet - a subject I am only too conversant with. As a firefighter for 12 years grass fire season as we called it (winter for other readers) was a real pain in the butt. we worked 24 hours shifts during the week and 48 hour shifts over the weekend. It was commonplace that fire crews would be out 80% of the time often having to be relieved due to exhaustion, hunger etc. It was not uncommon that crews would attend to 25 plus grass fires in a 24 hour shift.
Malicious ignition of bush-veld as you eluded to can be very dangerous. Even a controlled burn can be very dangerous due to the unpredictable nature of the wind. For example we have had firemen having only their fire appliance to hide under, had a thatch house catch fire, motor vehicles in a grass car-park badly damaged due to the fire changing direction.