Working on Fire helped put out 48 Western Cape wild fires in January

THE Working on Fire programme has assisted in dousing 48 fires that destroyed more than 13 000 hectares of vegetation across the Western Cape.

Over the last two days alone, firefighters in two district municipalities have been battling to contain fires.

MEC for Local Government Anton Bredell said by the end of January as much as R10.1million had been spent in support to help put out 14 major wildfires and dozens of smaller ones from the Provincial Disaster budget.

On Monday the Overstrand District Municipality’s firefighters battled a blaze that broke out at the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at a municipal farm.

Municipal Manager Dean O’Neil said strong winds and thick vegetation made it difficult for firefighters who battled throughout the evening to douse the flames.

The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services also had their hands full working through Monday until the early hours of Tuesday morning to contain a fire that broke out along Michell’s Pass near Ceres. Grounds teams, assisted by five fire vehicles and 10 extra manpower from Ceres and Worcester worked to douse out the flame which closed off the road.

WoF said its aerial resources alone spent 262 hours assisting ground crews with water bombing blazed, particularly in mountainous areas that were not easily accessible.

WoF’s Western Cape general manager, Melany Duthie-Surtie, said the unpredictable weather system causing heavy winds and high temperatures is to be blamed for these fires.

The Western Cape has been hit with heat waves that saw temperatures peaking at 40 degrees in some parts of the province.

“The communities should play a role in reporting fires to the closest local fire authorities who then activate WoF resources when necessary. We have a collaboration with fire stations, Fire Protection Association, and conservation agencies we work together in battling these blazes,” Duthie-Surtie said.

“We continue with fire awareness activities ensuring that people and visitors in the Western Cape are aware of (the) dangers of fire and they know to who they should report the fires.”