Anton Bredell thanks firefighters on International Firefighters’ Day

Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell, visited the Cape Town Central Fire Station to thank all firefighters for the important work they do to keep our communities safe. International Firefighters’ Day (4 May), is an opportunity for society to show our appreciation to these essential frontline men and women.

Bredell said the province has 1 650 professional firefighters and approximately 450 volunteers who serve at 96 fire stations in the Western Cape. “We had a busy fire season this past summer, which included the Parliament fire in Cape Town and extensive wildfires in Kleinmond and the Cape Winelands. More recently, firefighters were part of the various teams from the Western Cape that went to support rescue operations after the devastating floods in KZN.

Bredell said the Western Cape Government invested R15 million in aerial and specialised ground support during the summer, and this contributed to the province’s track record of managing 90% of fires within the first hour of being reported.

Bredell said the province has, through the Disaster Management Centre, over a period of ten years, developed a standardised Incident Command System, which means that any firefighting unit knows exactly what is expected of them in any given emergency. There is a clear chain of command and decisive actions can be taken quickly. The system requires all critical role-players to be involved, including landowners, through their respective Fire Protection Associations.

Bredell said with the winter season fast approaching, the risk of fire changes from wildfires to domestic fires caused by open fires and paraffin heating systems.

Possible load shedding adds to the risks for this coming winter, and people should pay extra care when using gas heating or candles during load shedding. “It is a good investment to have a smoke alarm installed in your house as an early warning devise. It can save your life,” Bredell said.

ALSO READ: Up in smoke: Wildfire season and the risk of smoke taint

As major wine regions around the world face the immediate effect of devastating wildfires, the threat of smoke taint is a slow burn. But how do you mitigate the risk, and what are the most effective solutions on offer?

The Cape’s dreaded fire season officially starts on 1 December, and this season, the Western Cape Environmental Affairs Department has predicted wildfire risk to be higher than previous years. This is because the Department was unable to do all the necessary fire breaks and regular preparation work in risky areas during the lockdown.

Every year, local firefighters deal with around 17 000 incidents, of which approximately 9 000 are wildfires.

Earlier this year, wildfires once again, wreaked havoc in Australia and California. Californian vineyards and vintners faced challenges even before the start of what has turned out to be a record-breaking wildfire season, as the Covid-19 pandemic stalled tourism and cut off a key sales channel with the closure of restaurants around the country.

Cast your mind back to January 2019 when a fire in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley outside Hermanus destroyed approximately 10 ha of vineyards and caused extensive damage at Hamilton Russel Vineyards. In December 2019, a bushfire devastated Lismore Estate, the South African winery owned by Samantha O’Keefe – destroying the winery, her home and a large part of the vineyards in Greyton.

WATCH: Western Cape Seasonal Fires