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19 January 2024
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Firefighters respond as fires break out in and around Cape Town and Cape Winelands
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The Western Cape Government has increased its wildfire budget by R3-million as fire crews fight blazes that broke out above Kalk Bay and in Franschhoek on Wednesday, 17 January 2024. The budget was dangerously close to running dry, with three months of fire season still to go. Local Government Minister Anton Bredell announced on Wednesday that the Western Cape’s wildfire budget had been bolstered from R16-million to R19-million, as firefighters battled new fires in Kalk Bay and Franschhoek. By 9 January 2024, just over R1-million remained of the Western Cape’s initial budget of R16-million for wildfire responses this fire season. This means about R15-million was spent on wildfire responses in just over a month.
Fire season in the province runs from December to the end of April.
“We have experienced an extremely busy fire season so far and currently we are battling fires on Boyes Drive in Muizenberg and in Franschhoek. The Boyes Drive fire is made extremely challenging due to high winds and inaccessible terrain. The likelihood of more wildfires in the coming months is a real concern for us,” said Minister Bredell.
He said that since December 2023, 837 wildfires had been reported to the Provincial Disaster Management Centre. “A total of nine fires were classified as major wildfires which extended over multiple operational periods,” he said. Additionally, 10 376 hectares of land has burnt to date in the Western Cape. “This number is set to go up as more damages are reported and current fires are included,” said Minister Bredell.
Just before 13h00 on Wednesday, City Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse issued an alert that firefighters were attending to vegetation alight on the mountain slopes above Boyes Drive and announced that the road had been closed between Old Boyes Drive and Clairvaux Road in Kalk Bay. Emergency services were alerted at about 11h30am on Wednesday and six firefighting vehicles with more than 30 firefighters were dispatched. Table Mountain National Park also deployed ground crews to assist, while three helicopters water-bombed the areas inaccessible to ground crews. Just before 17h00, Carelse said the swift reaction by firefighting crews ensured that the fire on the slopes above Boyes Drive was contained and the road was reopened. However, wind conditions were not favourable and firefighters were battling a flare-up on the Kalk Bay side as well as the head of the fire over the mountain above Boyes Drive. At 14h30, aerial support was shut down and resources were reduced. Ground crews will work through the night.
The Kalk Bay fire comes just under a month after a major fire, which began on the slopes above Simon’s Town ripped through 1 140 hectares of veld, forcing the evacuation of residents from Scarborough, Misty Cliffs and along the Glencairn Expressway.
The Simon’s Town fire, the biggest wildfire to occur in the Mother City in 2023, saw the city launch the largest coordinated attack yet on a fire line in the metropole. Increased heat, windy conditions and dry vegetation created ripe conditions for a higher risk of fire.
The South African Weather Service’s senior forecaster, Henning Grobler, said a strong southeasterly wind persisted in Cape Town on Wednesday, with wind speeds gusting at 28 km/h for the morning and 37 km/h from the afternoon into the late evening. A maximum temperature of 28°C was forecast. Very similar conditions are expected for Thursday, with the wind likely to drop during Wednesday night and then pick up again in the same southeasterly direction at 25 km/h. Maximum temperatures are also expected to rise to 32°C on Thursday and drop slightly to 31°C on Friday.
On Wednesday afternoon, SANParks spokesperson Lauren Clayton said the fire was intensifying due to strong winds and urgently issued a warning for hikers in the central section of Table Mountain National Park to descend.
With helicopters flying back and forth above her home, Kalk Bay resident Kerry Cullinan said, “Our community group was told not to go on Boyes Drive because there’s a fire that started just above a house between St James and Kalk Bay. “Three helicopters have been constantly collecting water from the harbour and bombing the fire. It’s not coming towards Kalk Bay and St James anymore… the wind is blowing in the opposite direction, towards Ou Kaapse Weg. The smoke is really thick on that side.”
Franschhoek fire
While firefighters battled the Boyes Drive fire, the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services responded to a fire in Franschhoek at about 15h00. The fire appeared to be heading towards private properties. Municipal spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto said, “The fire is burning in an aged plantation in the area above the Robertsvlei road. Fire teams are engaged in active firefighting.”
Just before 18h00, the fire, managed by Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services and partners, was partially contained.
The main fire line causing concern was fully contained, leading to the stand-down of aerial support at 16h30. A few spot fires, combined with increasing wind speeds, are still worrisome as they could lead to flare-ups. Crews will remain on-site overnight for monitoring and mopping up activities. The current firefighting presence includes seven fire vehicles and three ground teams from NCC Environmental Services, totalling 45 personnel.
Climate change projections for the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular, suggest generally worsening conditions for fires in future, with longer, warmer and drier summers and more frequent southeasterly winds.
Source: Daily Maverick
Fire season in the province runs from December to the end of April.
“We have experienced an extremely busy fire season so far and currently we are battling fires on Boyes Drive in Muizenberg and in Franschhoek. The Boyes Drive fire is made extremely challenging due to high winds and inaccessible terrain. The likelihood of more wildfires in the coming months is a real concern for us,” said Minister Bredell.
He said that since December 2023, 837 wildfires had been reported to the Provincial Disaster Management Centre. “A total of nine fires were classified as major wildfires which extended over multiple operational periods,” he said. Additionally, 10 376 hectares of land has burnt to date in the Western Cape. “This number is set to go up as more damages are reported and current fires are included,” said Minister Bredell.
Just before 13h00 on Wednesday, City Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse issued an alert that firefighters were attending to vegetation alight on the mountain slopes above Boyes Drive and announced that the road had been closed between Old Boyes Drive and Clairvaux Road in Kalk Bay. Emergency services were alerted at about 11h30am on Wednesday and six firefighting vehicles with more than 30 firefighters were dispatched. Table Mountain National Park also deployed ground crews to assist, while three helicopters water-bombed the areas inaccessible to ground crews. Just before 17h00, Carelse said the swift reaction by firefighting crews ensured that the fire on the slopes above Boyes Drive was contained and the road was reopened. However, wind conditions were not favourable and firefighters were battling a flare-up on the Kalk Bay side as well as the head of the fire over the mountain above Boyes Drive. At 14h30, aerial support was shut down and resources were reduced. Ground crews will work through the night.
The Kalk Bay fire comes just under a month after a major fire, which began on the slopes above Simon’s Town ripped through 1 140 hectares of veld, forcing the evacuation of residents from Scarborough, Misty Cliffs and along the Glencairn Expressway.
The Simon’s Town fire, the biggest wildfire to occur in the Mother City in 2023, saw the city launch the largest coordinated attack yet on a fire line in the metropole. Increased heat, windy conditions and dry vegetation created ripe conditions for a higher risk of fire.
The South African Weather Service’s senior forecaster, Henning Grobler, said a strong southeasterly wind persisted in Cape Town on Wednesday, with wind speeds gusting at 28 km/h for the morning and 37 km/h from the afternoon into the late evening. A maximum temperature of 28°C was forecast. Very similar conditions are expected for Thursday, with the wind likely to drop during Wednesday night and then pick up again in the same southeasterly direction at 25 km/h. Maximum temperatures are also expected to rise to 32°C on Thursday and drop slightly to 31°C on Friday.
On Wednesday afternoon, SANParks spokesperson Lauren Clayton said the fire was intensifying due to strong winds and urgently issued a warning for hikers in the central section of Table Mountain National Park to descend.
With helicopters flying back and forth above her home, Kalk Bay resident Kerry Cullinan said, “Our community group was told not to go on Boyes Drive because there’s a fire that started just above a house between St James and Kalk Bay. “Three helicopters have been constantly collecting water from the harbour and bombing the fire. It’s not coming towards Kalk Bay and St James anymore… the wind is blowing in the opposite direction, towards Ou Kaapse Weg. The smoke is really thick on that side.”
Franschhoek fire
While firefighters battled the Boyes Drive fire, the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services responded to a fire in Franschhoek at about 15h00. The fire appeared to be heading towards private properties. Municipal spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto said, “The fire is burning in an aged plantation in the area above the Robertsvlei road. Fire teams are engaged in active firefighting.”
Just before 18h00, the fire, managed by Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services and partners, was partially contained.
The main fire line causing concern was fully contained, leading to the stand-down of aerial support at 16h30. A few spot fires, combined with increasing wind speeds, are still worrisome as they could lead to flare-ups. Crews will remain on-site overnight for monitoring and mopping up activities. The current firefighting presence includes seven fire vehicles and three ground teams from NCC Environmental Services, totalling 45 personnel.
Climate change projections for the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular, suggest generally worsening conditions for fires in future, with longer, warmer and drier summers and more frequent southeasterly winds.
Source: Daily Maverick
