The Most Dangerous Criminal of All
Consider – A burglar might rob you of a few possessions, but a sudden fire could sweep away absolutely everything - including the precious lives of your loved ones.
Visit the Cape of Fire website to learn of the danger of wildfires >>>> CLICK HERE
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VWS Far South Info Meeting – Thursday 11th April
SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF WILDFIRE
Good day
Attached, please find the September 2012 edition of the WILDFIRE newsletter.
(CLICK on Link Below to open Newsletter)
Regards
Rob
-- Rob Erasmus Enviro Wildfire Services NPO number:078-354-NPO PBO number:930039917 www.ENVIROwildfire.co.za P.O. Box 425, Bergvliet, 7864 Cell: 083 411 3378 Landline: 021 715 3915 Fax to email : 086 571 1809
Bush Clearing – Erf 60 Glencairn
Please note, especially people living in Glencairn Heights, Gordon’s has contracted to have the alien vegetation in Section C on Erf 60 removed by means of cutting and the use of herbicides.
The Contractor has started and arrives in a bakkie, which he parks near the fire break. His employees, wearing bright orange T-shirts, can be seen walking up through Glencairn Heights.
This is expected to take a number of weeks. Should you have any questions or problems you can get hold ofLloyd Walters, the manager, who lives at Gordon’s, but also has an electrical business. His cell phone number is 082 492 1967 and his land line is 021 782 3872.
I have told Lloyd about the Neighbourhood Watch meeting at Phoenix Lodge next Wednesday 14th March and he will be attending, so you can all meet him. He is splendid news! Yesterday we had 120 Students from Fish Hoek High School doing their requisite Grade 10 environmental project and they swarmed all over Rotary, Gordon’s and the wetland, ending by using the superb Gordon’s outside eating tables and benches and their loos – a simply ideal situation, which worked brilliantly, thanks so much to Lloyd.
Cilla
GEESE – Glencairn Education & Environment Support Enthusiasts
South Peninsula Volunteer Firefighters Needed
Want to be a Volunteer Wildfire Firefighter?
The Volunteer Wildfire Services has a new station opening in the South Peninsula this year. This will mean faster response times to mountain fires in our area. We are inviting all those interested in joining the VWS or wanting to know more about us to come along to our information evening:
When: Wednesday 28th March 2012
Where: Meeting will be held at the 2nd Fish Hoek Scout Hall off Abington Circle, opposite Paul Greyling Primary School
Time: 19.30 hrs
Application forms will be available at the meetings.
Or come & visit our stand at the Navy Fesival 16 – 18 March.
The VWS relies completely on sponsorship and donations to operate, so if you can assist us financially that would also help as the new base does require a vehicle and equipment.
For any further info on the VWS South Peninsula, please email southpeninsula@capefires.com
Kind Regards
Allan Roy
South Peninsula Station Manager
www.vws.co.za
084 426 4749
PLEASE HELP BY REPORTING OVERGROWN PROPERTIES
The City of Cape Town welcomes participation by South Peninsula communities in helping to reduce fire risk
Please get involved just a little and help make your own neighbourhood safer, by reporting any plots or street verges in your area that are overgrown or infested with invasive alien plants. If they are not cleared, they are a grave fire risk to your home and could provide hiding places for criminals.
It will only take a moment or two of your time – all you need to do is to send an email to the council, noting down the street address of the overgrown plot or the erf number and say that you are very concerned and ask for action to be taken urgently. Send your emails to the City of Capetown at the following address –
John.Mathyse@capetown.gov.za (Environmental Health)
and Cc a copy to -
Gerard.Langenhoven@capetown.gov.za (Fire Safety)
The Council will then serve a notice on the landowner, demanding that they clear their land of invasive aliens and take further action as necessary. The more emails we send the better, as the council are obliged by law to log down and follow up on each individual report.
Thanks
Steve
Why not visit the Cape of Fire website to find more information about the risks of runaway fires in our area and find out ways to become “Firewise” and learn how to make your home safer. There are also photos and descriptions of the Invasive Alien Plant Species that pose the biggest fire threat.
Ctr CLICK on the following link > > > >
CAPE of FIRE
http://www.southerncrossroads.info/capeoffire/
Statutory Categories of Invasive Plants
Invader plants are classified in terms of the Regulations pertaining to the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA) 43 of 1983, as amended in March 2001. There are stiff fines applicable for contravening any of the regulations. Most of the commonly found alien invasive species in the South Peninsula are extremely combustible and pose a severe fire threat to our homes.
Under no circumstance are Category 1 or Category 2 plants such as Port Jacksons and Rooikrans allowed in suburban gardens – so if you have them, please get rid of them immediately, as you could be reported to the authorities, who are now starting to get serious about prosecuting offenders.
Category 1:
These plants are not permitted on your land under any circumstance and must be eradicated.
Examples of Category 2 -
Hakea (Hakea sericea)
Australian Myrtle (Leptospermum laevigatum)
Pampas Grass (Cortaderia jubarta)
Category 2:
These plants are not permitted on your land and must be eradicated, unless you have special permission from the Dept of Agriculture to have a demarcated area set aside for research or for other exceptional circumstances.
Examples of Category 2 -
Port Jackson (Acacia saligna)
Rooikrans (Acacia cyclops)
Category 3:
These plants are still permitted on your land, if already established – but new plantings are not allowed as their propagation is actively discouraged.
Examples of Catergory 3 -
Manotoka (Myoporum insulare)
On the Cape of Fire website, we have assembled a much more detailed “rogues gallery” of photos and information to assist you in recognising these pests and explain something of the unsavoury background of these “unwanted” outlaws.
Ctr click on the following link > > > >
ALIEN MUGSHOTS
SHOW THEM NO MERCY KILL THEM NOW
Red Hill Fire
The Recent fire on Redhill should be a warning to us of the increasing risk to our homes as we head further into the fire season.
.
Please get rid of any Alien vegetation around your home and report any neglected overgrown plots to the city of Cape Town. This way you can do something to help reduce the fire threat.
.
Thanks for Improving the Welcome Glen Firebreak
—–Original Message—–
From: Allan & Clare Roy [mailto:royfamily@polka.co.za]
Sent: 23 January 2012 12:03 AM
To: ‘Gerard Langenhoven’
Cc: Geoff Brundrit; ‘Lesley Shackleton’; Arne Soderland; africoe@iafrica.com; ‘Phoebe Barnard’; Aliet Pelt; Fran Black; kenfin@mweb.co.za; Don Stepto; Roy Burnie; John Mathyse; ‘Felicity Purchase’; ‘Simon Liell-Cock’; Louise Stafford
Subject: Thank you!!
Dear Gerard,
Thank You very much for the new boundaries to the Welcome Glen Fire Break – cut last week! The fire-break on the South Eastern border of Welcome Glen was widened – more than its been in previous years – which is a great relief!
I regard the South Eastern border as our most vulnerable because of the prevailing fire season wind combined with the fuel load in that corner – so to have a more thoroughly cut fire break is a huge bonus – Thank You!
I sincerely hope the City will pressure the Dept of Public Works more effectively this year, to clear the land behind the fire break in the near future.
Besides greatly reducing our wild fire risk - it would also be a huge advantage to the City, by reducing the magnitude of future maintenance of the newly sharpened fire-breaks.
Many thanks again,
Clare
Clare Roy
Glencairn Fire Watch
021 781 0942
CONTROLLED BURN – DIDO VALLEY
Steve,
I can assure you the burn is in very good hands. Dalton Gibbs is the fire boss, supported by Working on Fire, the SA Navy, Volunteer Wildfire services, Philip Prins and we contracted a very experienced fire fighting team to do the actual burn.
Regards,
Louise Stafford
Invasive Species Coordinator
City of Cape Town Invasive Species Programme
Environmental Resource Management
Nature Conservation, Westlake Office
Ou Kaapse Weg, Tokai
Postnet Suite 80, Private Bag X 26,
Tokai, 7966
South Africa
Tel: +27 21 712 1944/1434
Fax: +27 86 578 0410
From: steve [mailto:africoe@iafrica.com]
Sent: 29 September 2011 11:59 AM
To: Louise Stafford
Cc: ‘Sandy Barnes’; ‘Royfamily’; ‘Rob Erasmus’; Simon Liell-Cock; Felicity Purchase; ‘Phoebe Barnard’; ‘Chad Cheney’; ‘Cilla Bromley’; ‘Lesley Shackleton’
Subject: RE: Planned controlled burn – Dido valley
Dear Louise,
Thanks for the information.
We fully understand the need to burn, and acknowledge that it is your right as a landowner to do so in terms of the law. However we can’t help being extremely nervous about the planned operation, as it is now very late in the year for safe burning – especially in view of the low rainfall experienced this winter and the huge patches of uncontrolled biomass remaining on the hillside above the area you are to burn (notably Erf 1).
The clearing of Erf 1 particularly is a very sore point with us, as it seems that there has been no progress in this matter, in spite of many representations to the council by concerned residents in this regard. If all that thick bush were to catch fire there would be terrible consequences both for our valley and also for Da Gama Park.
All we can say is – please take no risks at all, especially with the wind, have major firefighting resources present throughout, and be very, very careful. It would only take one spark!
Regards
Steve Coe
—–Original Message—–
From: Louise Stafford [mailto:Louise.Stafford@capetown.gov.za]
Sent: 28 September 2011 10:23 AM
To: Steve Coe
Cc: Sandy Barnes; Royfamily; Rob Erasmus; Simon Liell-Cock; Felicity Purchase; Phoebe Barnard; Chad Cheney
Subject: Planned controlled burn – Dido valley
Dear Steve,
You might have noticed that we are clearing invasive plants at Dido valley, next to the Navy and the Scratch patch. The property is managed by the City housing department and it is also the planned site relocation of the Redhill community.
The clearing resulted in a lot of biomass which need to burn before summer to prevent it from becoming a fire hazard. The burning permit has been approved by City fire, air pollution and the sub-council.
This mail is to inform you that the fuel reduction burn will take place before the 15th of October. We are just waiting for suitable weather conditions.
The FPA, WoF, and relevant City departments will be involved. Dalton Gibbs from City biodiversity management is the fire boss.
Regards,
Louise Stafford
Invasive Species Coordinator
City of Cape Town Invasive Species Programme
Environmental Resource Management
Nature Conservation, Westlake Office
Ou Kaapse Weg, Tokai
Postnet Suite 80, Private Bag X 26,
Tokai, 7966
South Africa
Tel: +27 21 712 1944/1434
Fax: +27 86 578 0410
Enviro Wildfire Services
Good morning
Attached, please find the June 2011 edition of the WILDFIRE newsletter.
Please feel free to circulate it to others in the field of wildfire management.
Regards
Rob
To open – click on the link > > > > 03 Newsletter June 2011
Rob Erasmus
Enviro Wildfire Services
P.O. Box 425, Bergvliet, 7864
Cell: 083 411 3378
Fax to email : 086 571 1809
