Fire Warning
Press releases from City Council 
Posted on 09/04/2011 by 
admin
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
MEDIA RELEASE
07 APRIL 2011
Gusting south-easterly winds continue: fire danger warning for Cape Metropole
The South African Weather Service has forecast that the gale force south-easterly winds (35kt or 65km/h) will persist for the remainder of the day between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas.
This morning the Weather Office issued an additional warning of a high veld fire danger rating across the Cape Metropole.
The current weather conditions for the Cape Metropole are cloudy and cool. For the weekend high temperatures between the high 20’s and 30’s are forecast.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre and Fire and Rescue Service are accordingly advising the public to take precautions against wind damage and to be alert about fire safety.
These conditions are favourable for runaway fires that could easily become major blazes.
”The risk of fires spreading in informal settlements is extremely high in these conditions – residents should ensure that domestic cooking fires and heating or lighting devices are placed in safe and secure places” says the City’s Chief Fire Officer, Ian Schnetler.
FIRE SAFETY WITH REGARD TO STRUCTURAL FIRES
- Every home should have more than one exit to ensure escape if a fire breaks out.
- Informal homes should be built at least three metres apart to stop fires from spreading.
- Keep matches, lighters, paraffin and poisons out of reach of young children.
- Use child-proof caps on flammable products such as paraffin.
- Extinguish all candles and lamps before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Avoid smoking in bed – it is dangerous.
- Keep stoves on a flat surface away from drafts and flammable objects.
- Never leave fires and cooking stoves unattended.
- Always keep a bucket of sand and a bucket of water handy, in case a fire breaks out.
- Switch off all electrical appliances when not in use.
- Do not overload plug points.
- Do not sleep with heaters switched on.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is appealing to residents to take the following measures to prevent wind damage:
- Install straps or additional clips to your roof to secure it to the frame structure, in order to prevent roof damage.
- Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed
- Determine how and where to secure your boat
- Protect windows and doors with covers
- Reinforce double entry doors
- Reinforce or replace damaged garage doors
- Secure metal siding and metal roofs
- Secure built-up and single-ply roofs
- Brace gable-end roof framing
- Ensure adequate insurance cover for possible storm damage
- Motorists must watch out for fallen trees/branches and broken power lines along roads
- Exercise extreme caution in mountain areas
“It is important to secure your property by affixing permanent wind shutters, which offer the best protection for windows, or utilising boarding,” said Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Acting Head: Disaster Risk Management Centre.
The fire danger warning for the Cape Metropole will be enforced for today and the general public are requested to apply fire safe practices.
Solomons-Johannes appealed to the general public to heed to the public advisory issued and to listen to the radio or watch television news for the latest weather forecast.
Any emergency and/or distress call can be reported to the 107 emergency number from a Telkom line. Cellphone users need to dial 021 480 7700. The sooner you phone, the sooner