The City of Cape Town’s firefighters were put to the test over these last few weeks as they battled to contain fires across the city. This season alone, firefighters have battled 5 465 blazes.
Most of these fires were contained and extinguished before they could cause too much damage. However, several bigger fires continue to rage, requiring crews to work through the night and remain on standby.
The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, along with other services, has been stretched as they battled blazes ranging from the devastating mountain fire in Somerset West to smaller grass and bush fires in the city bowl.
“On the 3 January 2017, strong south-easterly winds fanned the flames as more than 120 firefighters, 12 fire engines and 10 water tankers battled a mountain vegetation fire on the upper slopes above Bezweni Lodge in Somerset West.”
The City of Cape Town appeals to the public to be extremely cautious with open flames and other flammable materials as the prevailing weather conditions increase the risk of fire.
City firefighters are still monitoring hotspots after the latest fire in Vredehoek/Deer Park last night. Approximately 160 City firefighters with 15 fire engines, four water tankers, five bush tenders and six skid units and support staff, assisted by 70 Table Mountain National Park staff with water tankers and skid units, battled gale-force winds and walls of flames throughout the night to safeguard lives and property.
A number of residents opted to evacuate of their own accord. While assessments must still be completed, initial estimates are that there has been structural damage in the region of R4,5 million to four structures. Firefighters were also dealing with a large vegetation fire in the wetlands adjacent to Masiphumelele at the same time yesterday.
The Vredehoek/Deer Park fire came hot on the heels of a fire on Signal Hill and just days after firefighters managed to suppress massive fires in Simon’s Town and the Helderberg.
‘The spate of fires is truly suspicious and we have an investigations team that is looking into it. The summer months are bad enough as it is, what with the hot and dry conditions and the strong south-easterly wind. It is a particularly stressful time for our Fire and Rescue Service as well as the other firefighting agencies and we need the public to help us by being careful with flammable materials, but also by reporting fires as soon as they spot them.”
“Where people notice suspicious activity, we encourage them to report that too because we cannot rule out the possibility that some fires are started deliberately,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Between 1 November 2016 and 12 January 2017, the City’s Fire and Rescue Service responded to 5 465 fires – an average of 75 a day. Of these, just shy of 80% were classified as bush, grass or rubbish fires.
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