A firefighting helicopter battles a mountain fire fanned by gale force winds approaching houses in the Clovelly and Kalk Bay areas of Cape Town, South Africa December 30, 2024. REUTERS/Nic Bothma
IT has been a busy season for firefighters in the Western Cape, with Working on Fire responding to over 35 fires which damaged over 2100 hectares of vegetation.
In Cape Town, the City’s Fire and Rescue Service responded to over 2000 fire incidents in December.
During the period, 11 people died as a result of fires. The most recent incident claimed two more lives and displaced over 16 residents in Gugulethu.
According to the City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, fire crews from Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Epping, Lakeside and Belhar responded to the fire after they received an emergency call at 1.30am.
“Several fire crews from Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Epping, Lakeside and Belhar responded, with about 25 firefighters battling the blaze which was fanned by a strong wind.
“By 3:10am the fire was extinguished. Approximately 10 structures were affected and a number of persons displaced.
“Sadly, the bodies of a man and a woman were found with fatal burn wounds and both were declared deceased. The scene was handed over to the South African Police Service for further investigation,” said Carelse.
Gift of the Givers project manager, Ali Sablay, said that they had responded with humanitarian relief to 19 fires in 17 days, which affected over 2000 people.
“The most challenging part for us has been the amount of fires in one day, but all credit to our teams, we have not left one person unassisted in all these fires.”
Sablay said their teams provide immediate assistance, getting calls as early as 3am from residents and community leaders.
He said that on Christmas morning, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, the Western Cape had been plagued with disasters. Some of the most devastating incidents included the major fire on Boxing Day at the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa where over 1000 people were affected, and another in Du Noon where close to 600 people were displaced.
“Gift of the Givers’ teams immediately after the fire has been extinguished, we set up base to see to the needs of those affected. We provide the affected families with hot meals for seven days, clean drinking water, blankets, personal hygiene item packs, baby care packs, and mattresses.”
Working on Fire was supported by Kishugu Aviation’s AT-802 Fixed Wing Water Bomber which logged 31.25 flight hours in December 2024, delivering 252 000 litres of water to battle wildfires.
General Manager for Working on Fire – Kishugu JV in the Western Cape, Antoinette Jini, commended firefighters for their unwavering dedication in fighting wildfires successfully.
“This summer fire season has been exceptionally demanding, but through these strong partnerships, we have been able to respond effectively, protect the environment, and save lives,” she added.
“With the summer fire season still underway and the risk of wildfires remaining high, we anticipate an even busier period ahead, keeping our teams on their toes. Let us continue working together to combat these fires, and I urge communities to stay vigilant, report fires promptly, and follow all fire safety measures. Collaboration remains essential to overcoming this challenge.”
Cape Times