In the last five months, Western Cape firefighters have attended to over 9 500 fires. Anton Bredell, the MEC for local government, environmental affairs, and development planning, noted that these fires have ravaged more than 135 000 hectares of land.
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One recent fire broke out on Table Mountain near Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden over the weekend. The Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) reported several fires on Saturday, ignited by lightning strikes in various locations such as Cecilia Forest, Silvermine, and the main road at Cape Point.
By Sunday morning, the fire had extended to Kirstenbosch, prompting its closure. By Wednesday, the South African National Parks reported that light rain in the early morning had assisted in controlling the fire. Although the fire had spread to the Back Table, there were still isolated hotspots, as well as concerns about falling trees and rockfalls.
Hiking trails from Constantia Nek to Newlands, Maclear’s Beacon, Back Table, and Platteklip Gorge, along with trails to the Back Table between Camps Bay, Hout Bay, and Orange Kloof, were shut down.
Between November and March, nearly 120 fires occurred in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), with an 84% success rate in containing them within the initial 90 minutes.
Data regarding the number of fires in April was unavailable at the time of reporting.
TMNP Fire Manager Justin Buchmann expressed concern over a notable increase in fire incidents, particularly after recording 34 fires on Table Mountain in just over a month. The majority of these incidents were concentrated in the Signal Hill area.
The City of Cape Town has noted a 19% year-on-year rise in vegetation fires.
During February, the province endured a challenging period, with numerous fires escalating beyond control in the Cape Winelands and Overstrand regions. Over a span of 14 days, the Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning deployed aerial assistance, incurring an estimated cost of R7 million.
One of the significant blazes occurred near Wolseley, persisting for over a week and scorching more than 24 000 hectares of vegetation.
In another incident in the Overstrand region, residents of Pringle Bay had to be evacuated twice within a single week due to a fire outbreak. Fortunately, after nearly a week of firefighting efforts, the blaze was eventually contained.
On Tuesday, Bredell expressed gratitude towards CapeNature firefighters in anticipation of International Firefighters’ Day on 4 May. He highlighted that out of the 135 000 hectares scorched in the province during this fire season, 22 530 hectares belonged to CapeNature-managed land. Bredell emphasised the collaborative effort required to combat wildfires, as they do not adhere to boundaries or ownership.
Fire season typically spans from November to May and is characterised by hot, dry, and windy conditions in the Western Cape. During the previous fire season, the province witnessed over 7 200 wildfires.
Bredell emphasised that maintaining a healthy natural environment serves as the most effective defence against severe weather events, particularly amid the challenges posed by climate change.
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Picture: @_ArriveAlive / X