Cape Town has witnessed a scorching season with the Fire and Rescue Service dousing flames in 13 087 incidents from October 2023 to January 2024.
Breaking down Cape Town fire incidents in numbers – Here’s what you must know
This figure not only raises the temperature but also the bar, marking a 12% increase from the previous year and setting a record for the most hectic period in the last four years.
In particular, the statistics recently released by the City highlighted an uptick in vegetation fires which accounted for 55% of the total fire incidents in Cape Town.
Diving into the different types of fire incidents, it’s clear that not all flames are created equal. Vegetation fires took the lead with a blazing 7 190 incidents, showing a fiery increase of 19% from the year before.
Meanwhile, residential fires split between the informal and formal sectors painted a picture of concern with 851 and 699 incidents respectively.
While the numbers suggest a slight decrease in residential fires compared to last year, they still highlight an area smouldering with issues, especially against the backdrop of increasing loadshedding, illegal electricity connections, and other fire-starting culprits.
The City’s response to this inferno of activity has been nothing short of heroic.
Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, alongside various support departments and partnerships with other agencies and municipalities, has shown remarkable resilience and resourcefulness.
Their efforts underline a city united against the flames, from battling vegetation blazes with the help of Table Mountain National Parks and Volunteer Wildfire Services to lending a hand to neighbouring municipalities.
“We are not out of the woods yet, but I want to commend everyone involved in what has been one of the busiest periods from a firefighting perspective,” MMC for Safety and Security JP Smith said in a statement.
In the face of such adversity, the city is not resting on its laurels. With 32 fire stations and over 240 firefighters on duty daily, Cape Town is gearing up to enhance its firefighting arsenal.
The announcement of a new fire station in Langa and an operational fleet boasting over 200 vehicles signals a city preparing for battle.
The statistics and subsequent actions taken highlight a city that, while heated, is handling the challenge with a cool head and a warm heart.