Cape Town Fire/Smoke Alert Thread

Don't worry gdiza is on the job tomorrow! :-) I will see how it looks tonight when I get home. Maybe I will come out to Sir Lowry's Pass again tonight.
 
SFX said:
Don't worry gdiza is on the job tomorrow! :-) I will see how it looks tonight when I get home. Maybe I will come out to Sir Lowry's Pass again tonight.
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That's if a team goes out tomorrow.
I've got leave for tomorrow so just have to wait for a the next team call out.
 
Cape Town - Two of the three fires threatening historic wine estates in Somerset West are still raging, City of Cape Town Fire Management said on Wednesday.

"The fire which was burning on the farm threatening the Lourensford wine estate has died down, what was left to burn on the farm has been burnt," Senior Communications Officer Winston Davids said.

Firefighters were still battling fires on two other farms which were threatening the Vergelegen and Knorhoek wine estates.

Davids said over 70 firefighters and emergency personnel were on the scene.

"They are working in shifts, each shift ends at 09:00 every morning... that's when we send in fresh legs," he said.

Davids said that two helicopters, one from the SA National Defence Force and the other from Working on Fire, were on hand to drop water bombs.

On Tuesday, the helicopters could not take flight because of the dense smoke which hindered the visibility of the pilots.

"There is very dense fog in the area at the moment, the smoke density is not as bad as yesterday, so helicopters may take off a bit later."

Hot weather, heavy winds

Davids said the fires started about a month ago in the Grabouw area. Hot weather and heavy winds resulted in the fires flaring up, and spreading to Somerset West.

"They start off small, and are fuelled by hot and windy weather conditions. As we extinguish the fires, hot spots remain high up on the mountains, and then flare up once again by the wind... sometimes it is very windy, causing the fires to spread very fast."

The cause of the fires remained undetermined.

Animals were evacuated off the farms, and no one was injured in the blaze.

He was not sure how much longer the fires would burn.

"If we do not put it out, then there would be nothing left to burn soon," Davids said.
 
There will be one gdiza. They have to attend to flare ups for several more days. I am sure of it. Unless the nice rain can come for a change.
 
Well, the mountain side of Vergelegen looks like something from Lord of the Rings! Burned black and empty.
 
alf101 said:
gdiza, have u helped out with an actual fire yet?
U seem to be missing the good ones.
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I have actually... but I'm missing "THIS" one because of it mainly going on during the week and of cause, I actually have a job so I can't just go.

I took a days leave for tomorrow... so I hope I can go.

If it should stop before I get to it, it's all good.
There will be plenty of fires I'm sure... it is fire season!
 
They not WoF helicopters anymore, the 'stickers' saying "Working on fire" have been removed and "SA National Parks" logo have replaced them.

No I haven't, not yet, but I have done the 'training' for it... I missed a helicopter flight out to West Coast because of the same old excuse... I had work the day of the fire :(
 
Chopper flight is not that spectacular! It is like being in a lift with windows. Unless you are afraid of heights!
 
Well, technically speaking gdiza, you have been to this fire, except it was still burning on the Stellenbosch side of the mountain with me.
 
SFX said:
Well, technically speaking gdiza, you have been to this fire, except it was still burning on the Stellenbosch side of the mountain with me.
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Oh yes! I almost forgot!

The pictures are on my Flickr - I think we went 6th Feb.

The only difference now is - VWS is there and fires we go to counts towards actual fire hours ;) hahaha.

I wonder what my hours are currently... :rolleyes:
 
I would have enjoyed to help, but I also have to work. That is why I help out after hours when I get home. Mostly that is when the trouble starts as the choppers can't fly.
 
SFX said:
I would have enjoyed to help, but I also have to work. That is why I help out after hours when I get home. Mostly that is when the trouble starts as the choppers can't fly.
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Yeah, well, since I have to get a lift from Fred, I can't come whenever I want which I would do as well, April is when I get my wheels.

Oh, I ordered this and it arrived yesterday and If I go tomorrow, will test it out - Fred also bought it, I'm couldn't figure out how to attached it last night! haha. :rolleyes:

Camelbak Hotshot 3l

(I don't think it's really 3L, not a chance but now ya!)
 
Well people. I can say according to Satellite imagery that the fire is now in another plantation on the Grabouw side of the mountain.
 
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