News

As the hot dry summer season approaches in the Western Cape, Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) urges both residents and visitors to be extra vigilant and careful during the 2020/21 summer fire season which officially starts on 1 December.

TMNP and its partner from the Western Cape Disaster Risk Management, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue, South African National Defence Force, Cape Peninsula Fire Protection Association, NCC Wildfires, Working on Fire (WOF) and the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) form part of an interagency cross-pollination of resources to combat this fire season.

According to Philip Prins, Fire Manager for TMNP, “over the past two months we have responded to eleven fires across the park. For the coming season, TMNP has close to 30 contracted firefighters from NCC Wildfires, 40 standby firefighters, 30 WOF firefighters including a hotshot crew of 25 firefighters, additional 140 volunteer firefighters from VWS, various firefighting vehicles, one SANParks dedicated helicopter on standby, with an additional two helicopters from the City of Cape Town which is also available to SANParks.”

Prins continues to assure the public that TMNP Fire Management Department in conjunction with these fire-fighting agencies will play a joint role during this wildfire season. With the inevitable realities of climate change becoming more apparent and residential fire losses associated with wildland fires gaining both global and national attention, the need to create fire resilient communities (both human and natural) is becoming essential. Climate change is one of the major drivers of the changes we are seeing across our landscapes, resulting in an increase in fire frequency and fire intensity.

A growing combination of elements such as the presence of alien invasive species, poorly managed and neglected properties and an ever-increasing number of homes being built in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) contribute to the loss of life, property and natural resources. TMNP is surrounded by vulnerable developments and wildfires will undoubtedly present a risk to homes constructed in, or next to, such areas. “It is therefore advised that communities exercise extra caution when administering fires, during this time people should plan braai sessions outside their homes which should not be left unattended. Residents are requested to ensure that their fires are put out completely after the food preparations.”

Wildfires are an important and a necessary ecological occurrence in many natural areas especially within the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape. Fynbos is both fire-prone and fire-adapted and the use of fire forms are an integral part of the ecological management of the Park.

Report all fires immediately:

• City of Cape Town 107 or 021 480 7700 via cellphone
• Newlands Fire 021 689 7438/9 (Day Time) / TMNP emergency number on 021 422 1601/2.

  Issued By

  South African National Parks (SANParks) Cape Region Communications

  Media Enquiries

  Lauren Howard-Clayton
  Regional Communications Manager
  Email: [email protected]
  Landline: 021 659 1700